Co Tyrone man Mark Donnelly is expected to give evidence today in his trial for the unlawful killing of Jason McGovern in Omagh on New Year's Eve 2012.
The prosecution case ended yesterday with the reading of police interviews with the 23-year-old accused.
Judge Melody McReynolds later told the Dungannon Crown Court jury that Donnelly, from Greencastle Road near the village of Greencastle, would be giving evidence on his own behalf today.
In his interviews, whilst admitting being in the Weigh Inn car park in Omagh's Kevlin Avenue where the 19-year-old victim was floored in a 'one-punch' assault, he continually denied being the attacker.
The court has already been told that as a result of the punch, the Co Monaghan teenager fractured his thinner than normal skull after hitting the ground.
This in turn lacerated an artery which slowly bled, putting pressure on his brain and causing his death.
Donnelly, the court heard, had two sets of interviews with police following Jason's death the following day in the bedroom of a friend's home just over the border in Emyvale, Co Monaghan.
The first was on January 4 2013, at the end of which police were handed a prepared signed statement, denying any involvement.
In the statement Donnelly said he "observed an altercation involving the injured party. I in no way assaulted the injured party, attempted to do so, nor did I encourage others to do so".
He said he went to the Weigh Inn car park looking for his cousin to give her a lift home, but unable to find her, returned to his girlfriend and collected their taxi.
The statement ended: "Whilst in Kevlin Avenue I did not see the injured party. I did not assault the injured party, nor did I incite others to do so."
Although released, Donnelly was re-arrested and questioned again on January 29, with detectives informing him they had a witness who identified him as the car park attacker.
Donnelly admitted that he "passed that area and went into the car park... I had to pass that area", but denied hitting anyone when asked directly by police.
"These are big accusations," it was put to him.
"I've already explained what I was doing down there," he replied.
Donnelly was to later tell detectives that as far as anyone identifying him as Jason's attacker, "all I can say is, that it is not true".
In his final interview the Co Tyrone man agreed there was "no justification or reason for striking" Jason, but added: "I didn't even know the lad.... I didn't strike him... I didn't throw a punch down at the Weigh Inn car park... I didn't throw a punch either, either outside the Terrace Bar, or the Weigh Inn car park."
