A MAN accused of stabbing North-East policeman Keith Blakelock during the 1985 Tottenham riots wrote a rap, saying "we chop him all over", his murder trial has heard.

A prison officer found the poem while searching Nicky Jacobs cell at a youth custody centre in 1988.

Mr Jacobs, 16 at the time of the attack, had been serving a sentence for affray following the riots on October 6, 1985.

The hand-written poem was read out on the second day of the trial by prosecutor Richard Whittam.

It stated: "As long as I live I remember it was 1985 the 6th October...

"Me have de chopper we have intention to kill an police officer Pc Blakelock de unlucky fer him dis an help de fireman...

"Who did an out an fire de fireman see we av come and decide to scatter but Pc Blakelock him never smell the danger but when we fly down upon him he start scream and holla everybody gather round and av pure laughter he try to head out but we trip him over he start beg for mercy bit it didnt matter him try to play super man....

"We chopper we start chop him on his hand we chop him on him finger we chop him on him leg we chop him on his shoulder him head him chest him neck we chop him all over when we done kill him off lord er feel much better...."

Pc Blakelock's widow, Elizabeth, from West Boldon, Tyne and Wear, was in the Old Bailey courtroom as the jury was shown police photographs taken during the riots, some featuring Mr Jacobs, who is now 45, on the Broadwater Farm estate.

The jury was also shown pictures of the Sunderland PC's injuries, and the knife which lodged in the officers neck up to the hilt.

Mr Whittam said a number of different weapons were used, including single and double-bladed knives.

The most devastating wound was to the side of his face, caused by a machete or an axe.

Mr Jacobs was first arrested by officers on October 11 1985, five days after the disturbances took place.

He claimed that he had been at home when Pc Blakelock was attacked and had only watched the rioting, but was convicted of affray in November 1986.

One witness at that trial, himself convicted for his part in the riots and who admitted kicking Pc Blakelock, told police that he had seen Mr Jacobs at the scene and then talked to him days later.

Mr Whittam said the witness told police: "I can't remember exactly what he said but it was obvious from what he was saying that he was involved in the murder of the policeman."

Speaking to a renewed investigation into the killing in 1993, the witness went further and described the defendant as "a nutter" who was "out to get blood".

He said Mr Jacobs was carrying a curved machete or scythe and had plunged the weapon crazily into Pc Blakelock's shoulders as the mob shouted "Kill the beasty" and "Get his ******* head on a pole."

"They all had weapons and were involved in killing him," he said.

"I know because I saw it with my own eyes. I have had to live with this for the past eight years, its always on my mind."

Mr Jacobs denies murder and the trial continues.