The Crown sought to poke holes in Robert Belbin’s claims of self-defence at his second-degree murder trial yesterday.

No one disputes that Belbin and the victim, Seamus Secord, were good friends, into hard drugs, and had criminal records.

Or that Belbin stabbed Secord repeatedly on an icy sidewalk at the corner of Newtown and Mayor Avenue two-and-a-half years ago.

The question remains, why, with Belbin’s story at times leaving the Crown incredulous.

He claims Secord pulled the knife on him over alleged betrayal of friendship, while the Crown says it had more to do with $30,000 worth of missing drugs, and Secord looking at Belbin – previously good friends.

“You were mad at him for accusing you,” prosecutor Paul Thistle put to Belbin on the witness stand, suggesting he brought the knife to the fight. “It made you mad he was calling you a loser.”

But Belbin denied it, insisting Secord pulled the knife, which he said he grabbed by the blade and wrestled away, with his bare hand, yet wasn’t cut.

Court has also viewed video of Belbin’s travels in the aftermath of the stabbing, including changes of clothes because they were wet, he said, not bloodied.

Both the Crown and defence have finished calling evidence, with closing statements and Justice Trina Simms’ instructions to the jury still to come.