An autistic teenager used a baseball bat to fight-off a man punching his stepfather in an attack that resulted in the boy being killed with an axe, a Victorian court has heard.
Timothy "Timmy" O'Brien, 14, died in January 2013, after he went with his stepfather Peter Williams to investigate reports of a prowler at a home in Scarsdale, near Ballarat.
Timmy armed himself with a baseball bat and followed Mr Williams into the house where Mr Williams was punched in the face repeatedly by Darren Wilson, who had previously threatened him, the court heard.
Mr Williams told the Victorian Supreme Court on Wednesday Timmy came to his assistance after he was punched.
Timmy struck Wilson to the head with a baseball bat, causing him to fall to the ground.
Mr Williams said he turned around and saw Joel Parker Henderson standing outside the backdoor holding an axe.
Henderson, 41, of Wendouree is on trial for Timmy's murder after he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Mr Williams got into his car and tried to call the police, but had no phone reception, he told the court.
"I wanted to get out of there," Mr Williams said.
"I was more worried about Timmy."
Timmy's mother Deborah O'Brien told Henderson's trial on Wednesday that since losing his real father, Timmy had bonded with his step-father and preferred him to anyone else.
She tried to stop him from following Mr Williams to the Scarsdale house on January 5 but he insisted on going.
"He just wanted to follow Pete. He wanted to be there with Pete," Ms O'Brien said.
The trial continues before Justice Bernard Bongiorno.
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