A MAN recounted the terrifying experience of desperately trying to save his friend's life after a knife attack in an alleyway.

Jamie Mitchell, of Lexham green Close in Buckley, denies murdering 23-year-old Steven Wilkinson in October last year.

A court has heard this week how the 25-year-old defendant was seen on CCTV chasing the victim into Jubilee Court, Buckley, whilst holding an "implement."

Mr Wilkinson ran into an alleyway with a locked door at the end, followed by the defendant - who departed the scene moments later and left the victim with a stab wound which had penetrated his lung and heart.

By his own admission, Mitchell had left his and his mother's home on the night of October 4 armed with a knife after their kitchen window had been broken in an act of criminal damage.

He'd happened upon the victim near Home Bargains and the chase ensued.

On Wednesday, the victim's friend Jordan Spencer - who had spent the evening of October 4 with him up to and including the chase - shared his recollections with the court.

First of all, the court saw a video interview he gave to police the day after the stabbing.

At the point where himself and Mr Wilkinson were near Home Bargains, he explained to his interviewers: "As we were talking, we saw a black silhouette walking towards us.

READ MORE: Jury hear harrowing audio of fatal injury inflicted upon 23-year-old Steven Wilkinson

"About 15 to 20 yards away I realised who it was, and he was pulling a knife out from his pants.

"I said to Ste; it's Jamie, he's got a knife - run. We split up and I saw Jamie going after Ste through a little alleyway.

"I saw Jamie walk out of the alleyway with a six inch kitchen knife in his hands and blood on it; from the point end at least down half way down the blade.

"I saw Ste coming from the left with blood on him. He took off his jacket and hat, dropped them on the floor and said Jamie had stabbed him.

"We took off his top and used it to keep pressure on the wound. We decided to lie him down.

"The emergency services helped me go through CPR. I did exactly what they said and tried to reassure Ste until they got there."

Tragically, despite his and the subsequent medical teams' efforts, Mr Wilkinson was declared deceased later that night.

Questioned by defending counsel Gordon Cole KC, Mr Spencer told the court he and the victim had once been friends with the defendant - but that friendship broke down in large part due to Mitchell entering a relationship with Mr Wilkinson's sister, Jessica.

READ MORE: Man 'cornered' former friend in alleyway and stabbed him in chest, court told

He also recounted the timeline of October 4 as the court had previously heard - in which he and the victim had spent some time at a pub and later met with several other males named Daniel Walklett, Harvey Williams, Jordan Hughes and Dylan Ashfield.

Mr Spencer told the court Ashfield had also been in a relationship with Jessica, and that during the evening he appeared "a bit angry" after learning she had been at the defendant's house that day.

Asked to elaborate, Mr Spencer said: "I knew some things got said - I said I don't want nothing to do with any of this. If you're going to do anything, leave me out of it.

"I could tell the frustration in Dylan's voice, with Jess being at Jamie's."

As the court had already heard, Ashfield was one of the men who went on to Jamie Mitchell's house that evening to damage the window. But Mr Spencer said he did not think such an act was going to be carried out.

Mr Cole KC asked about Mr Spencer and the victim standing near the wasteland, close to Home Bargains, immediately prior to the chase.

Mr Spencer agreed that "as the crow flies" the pair weren't far from the defendant's home and that the victim in fact claimed to have heard a "bang" whilst they were there.

The Leader:

Mr Cole asked: "Did Steve know a group of lads were going to throw a brick through [Mitchell's] mum's window?"

"He didn't tell me," Mr Spencer answered.

Mr Cole asked: "So you just happened to be standing at that area when he said to you he heard a bang?"

"That's correct," he responded.

But when questioned by Mr Jones KC, he told the court it was not unusual for himself and Mr Wilkinson to go to that point after a night out and get something to eat, as it was half-way between their homes.

The court heard a statement from Bryn Boothman, a friend of the victim.

He stated he was walking in Buckley in the direction of Aldi at around 10pm on October 4 when he saw Steven Wilkinson falling down the grass bank at the edge of the wasteland near Home Bargains.

Then he saw Mitchell coming over the bank with a "big kitchen knife."

He said the victim got straight back up and appeared to be "running for his life."

As he and Jordan Spencer caught up with Mr Wilkinson and Mitchell at Jubilee Court, he added, the defendant walked "calmly" towards them.

Mr Boothman asked him: "What's going on, what are you doing this for?"

But he said the defendant, who still had hold of the knife, "completely blanked" him.

The court also heard there had been an incident a day before the stabbing in which the defendant had been in the Spar in Brunswick Street.

The defendant arrived at the store and was heard to say: "Wait till you get outside" and "you'd better pay your debts" in an aggressive manner.

The trial continues.