Two York men accused of setting fire to a man after spraying him with flammable liquid claim they were not at the scene of the incident, a court heard.

Joshua Strickland, 29, and Robinson Binks, 27, appeared for the first day of their trial today (Tuesday, October 29) at York Crown Court when barrister Brooke Morrison opened the case for the prosecution.

She said it was the Crown’s case that Strickland and Binks sprayed the alleged victim with “some form of flammable fluid and set him alight” at a flat in York.

The incident occurred in the early hours of April 19 when the alleged victim went to his female friend’s flat in Fossway where they had some drinks.

The two defendants, who both knew the man but weren’t friends of his, turned up at the address at about 12.30am, the court was told.

They went into the living room and “without warning, or indeed explanation, Joshua Strickland began to spray (the alleged victim) with what he believed to be lighter fuel or flammable fluid”, the jury heard.

“The spray hit him on the back and side and (he was) then set on fire,” added Ms Morrison.

As the man retreated from the pair, they followed him around the room and continued to spray lighter fuel on him, “laughing with one another as they did so”. They then left the flat as the man “ran out into the street, screaming”.

He was spotted by a neighbour who poured water on him and the emergency services were called, the court heard.

Police and an ambulance arrived and took the man to hospital where he was treated for “relatively superficial burns and blistering”. He also suffered some skin loss to his back and shoulder.

Following their arrest, Strickland and Binks claimed they weren’t at the flat when the man was attacked and “provided a completely different location as to where they were” at the time of the incident.

Nick Hammond, for Strickland, said it was the defence case that his client wasn’t involved in the attack.

Glenn Parsons, for Binks, claimed that his client wasn’t at the scene either and that, according to Binks, there were “other people who were out and (wanted) to get at the complainant”.

Binks, of Clarence Street, York, and Strickland, whose last registered address was a hotel in Eboracum Way, both deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The trial continues.