GEORGE Street murder suspect Piers Brazier revealed in court that his prison nickname was Zorro.

He told the trial jury he had previously been sentenced to seven years for burglary.

He is facing a charge of murdering Scott Cooper in Ryde in January.

Defence barrister Adam Feest asked Mr Brazier about his nickname.

Mr Feest said: "After the masked caped swordsman? Do you wear a mask, or a cape, or is it because you are known to use knives?"

Mr Brazier said he had been found to have used a knife during the burglary, and Mr Feest suggested that is why he got the nickname Zorro.

Mr Brazier said it was because of his looks and his long dark hair.

Isle of Wight County Press:

Mr Brazier denies murdering Mr Cooper and the trial has been taking place at the Isle of Wight Crown Court this week.

The County Press has been updating its live blog as the case unfolds.

Mr Brazier had previously claimed he wasn't in his flat when Mr Cooper was killed, and came back to find the body dumped upside down in the shower.

Yesterday, he told the jury he saw another man stab Mr Cooper.

Mr Feest said: "When you said to police you did not know what happened to Scott Cooper, that was a lie? You were asked a number of times if you were present when Scott Cooper was killed, you said no. You said you came back and he was dead in the shower, that was completely untrue?"

Mr Brazier replied: "Yes".

Mr Brazier, a heroin and cocaine addict who had injected drugs on the day of the killing, has admitted his evidence given to police was "drug-addled".

He maintains another man was responsible for the murder.

He said the other man threatened to hurt his family and his girlfriend and he thought he had to "go along with it" otherwise they would get hurt.

Defence barrister, Ignatius Hughes, asked Mr Brazier why he didn't just phone the police.

Mr Brazier alleged he had previously been assaulted by police.

He said: "I don't have a good history with the police. They have broken my nose and collarbone before. I'm a drug addict. It's us and them.

"Who would they believe, it's my flat, it's all going to be landed on me anyway."

He said after Mr Cooper died, he injected ten times more cocaine into himself than he usually would, to try to kill himself, because he thought he would get blamed for the killing.

He later came round, when police were inside the property, arresting him.

He told the jury he then realised he was "still in a ton of sh*t".

The case continues, on Wednesday.