A MAN accused of killing two students left his friend's house with a "large and fearsome weapon", a court has heard.

The friend of two accused men had to be arrested and brought to the Old Bailey where he gave evidence from behind a screen today (May 1).

He was speaking at the trial of Nigel Farmer and Dano Sonnex , accused of murdering French students Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez.

The students were stabbed 244 times at Mr Bonomo's flat in Sterling Gardens, New Cross, on the morning of June 29 last year.

During cross-examination, the friend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he feared Sonnex's older brother Bernie, the defendants and their families.

Asked why he feared Bernie Sonnex, he replied: "Just the things I've heard."

He admitted he had come "reluctantly" and was giving evidence "in fear of my own life and my family's life."

The friend said Sonnex and Farmer had been at his house along with two women sometime after 10pm on June 28 last year.

He had told police how the pair had been "very loud and in my face that night - even edgy."

The friend said Sonnex had become interested in a Turkish army knife belonging to the friend's father.

The knife was around 11 inches long, with a heavy handle and a jagged edge, the court was told.

Sonnex allegedly said to his friend: "I'll look after this for a while."

He added: "It's alright I'm not going to use it."

The friend said the two accused men left together shortly afterwards.

Farmer's defence lawyer Jason Dunn-Shaw asked the witness why he had not initially told police what happened.

He said: "Isn't it the fact that you didn't want to tell the police you had supplied Dano Sonnex with a deadly weapon?"

The friend denied this.

Mr Dunn-Shaw claimed the friend had gone upstairs with Sonnex and had come back down carrying the knife.

He said the witness had discussed with Sonnex burgling an Eastenders actress who lived nearby.

And Mr Dunn-Shaw also claimed Farmer left the house on his own, wanting nothing to do with the planned burglary.

But the friend denied all of this.

Farmer's counsel also wanted to know why the friend had allegedly spoken several times on the following two days to a man who allegedly helped dispose of the murder weapon.

The friend said he could not remember the phonecalls.

Sonnex's defence counsel Philip Misner asked the witness if he remembered Farmer saying he needed some money.

Mr Misner said Farmer had discussed carrying out a burglary and had tried to climb into a house next door.

The friend said this had not happened.

Farmer, aged 33, of no fixed address, and Sonnex, aged 23, of Etta Street, Deptford, deny murder, arson and false imprisonment.

Sonnex admits burglary but Farmer denies the charge.

The trial continues.