One of the Northern Territory’s most well-known murderers has told the Darwin Local Court he feared for his life before allegedly assaulting a fellow prisoner at the Darwin Correctional Centre.

Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated assault, but conceded he did knock a fresh coffee over a fellow prisoner, in an altercation captured on jail CCTV.

Hoffmann is currently serving life in prison for the murders of Hassan Baydoun, Robert Courtney and Michael Sisois, as well as the manslaughter of Nigel Hellings, and several other offences.

The Darwin Local Court heard on Thursday the alleged coffee assault came the day after a verbal altercation between Hoffmann and the complainant, Jason Doyle.

During the verbal altercation, Hoffmann told the court he “feared for [his] life” and “thought [he] was going to be king hit”.

“I heard clearly Jason Doyle threatening me and calling me a f***head,” Hoffmann told the court.

Hoffmann, who had to be told by the judge on several occasions to answer the questions he was asked, told the court he approached Doyle the next day to “talk properly” about the verbal altercation.

“I went over to Jason Doyle and I was still in shock … and I basically said ‘what’s the go mate?… I thought we were mates’,” Hoffmann said.

He told the court Doyle then told him: “I can fight, Hoffy” and “I’ll f***ing smash you”.

“He was squaring me up,” Hoffmann said.

Hoffmann said he then swung his arms out, but did not punch Doyle, and spilt a fresh cup of coffee over the other man.

Hoffmann’s lawyer argued that based on the “threats and aggressive behaviour” by Doyle, he had “consented” to a fight.

“On numerous occasions you see [on prison CCTV] an aggressive finger come out … that, to me, shows he wasn’t scared, even though he gave evidence that he was scared and intimidated by the [so-called] ‘baddest man in Holtze prison’,” Hoffmann’s lawyer, Michael Drury said.

But Crown prosecutor Tami Grealy urged Judge Ray Murphy to reject Hoffmann’s evidence, telling the court he was “intentionally evasive” in the witness box.

Ms Grealy argued Hoffmann stood over Doyle to intimidate him and intentionally caused him harm.

“If it’s hot water or cold water, the assault is made out,” Ms Grealy said.

“It’s plainly an intentional application of force … a person would reasonably object to contact of coffee on their torso, regardless of the heat.”

Judge Ray Murphy will deliver his verdict and reasons on September 8.

Hoffmann remains in custody, serving at least three life sentences with no prospect of parole.