A jury in the Launceston Supreme Court was played Daniel James Leech’s police interview on Tuesday, during which he scoffed several times at suggestions he deliberately sawed the child.

“I wasn’t even there,” he laughed, when a detective suggested he had attacked the girl.

“I don’t recall it, no.”

Mr Leech has maintained his innocence this week, after pleading not guilty to a charge of wounding, stemming from the alleged incident.

His lawyer Fran McCracken has argued the teen’s wound was self-inflicted.

During his police interview, Mr Leech admitted to owning multiple chainsaws and said he knew the 15-year-old through his ex-girlfriend.

Mr Leech said he was “probably out in the bush cutting wood” when the incident with the chainsaw occured at a unit at Ravenswood on March 17.

He told police that the 15-year-old had since written in Facebook messages that the incident was fabricated.

“(She said) it was all lies and she’s sorry for the mess she’s caused,” Mr Leech told police.

Police have alleged the 15-year-old made a remark about Mr Leech’s child at the unit on that date.

Mr Leech allegedly took offence to the remark and threatened her with a “blockbuster”, before starting a chainsaw and making an “up and down motion” on the girl’s left thigh.

The trial continues.