A MOTHER and her partner have denied deliberately lying to police officers who were investigating a knife attack carried out by her son.

Vicki Ricketts, 34, and Barry Ryder, 42, were both living in a flat in Burrell Road, Ipswich last May when Ricketts’ son Aiden Ricketts slashed the side of another resident’s face, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Following the incident Vicki Ricketts and Ryder both provided witness statements to the police but neither of them mentioned that Aiden Ricketts was present at the time of the attack, said Simon Gladwell, prosecuting.

Vicki Ricketts and Ryder have both denied attempting to pervert the course of justice by providing false information to police officers investigating the wounding of Aleksej Fiodorov.

Mr Gladwell told the court that Aiden Rickets had been convicted of wounding Mr Fiodorov with intent to do him grievous bodily harm last August.

Giving evidence, Vicki Ricketts said she hadn’t been in Mr Fiodorov’s room at the time of the attack and had thought the wound to his face had been caused by someone else.

Ryder told the court he been drinking in his room with Aiden Ricketts on the evening of the attack and during a visit to Mr Fiodorov’s room had seen some “pushing and shoving” and a man on the floor.

He had gone back to his room next door and had then heard someone calling for an ambulance.

Ryder said he had spoken to the emergency services operator and had told her they didn’t need an ambulance after Mr Fiodorov said he didn’t want one to be called.

The trial continues today.