A WOMAN tearfully told jurors of the frantic search through the streets for her brother after she was told he'd been stabbed.

Jamie Mitchell, aged 25 and of Lexham Green Close in Buckley, denies murdering Steven Wilkinson; the alleged offence having happened on October 4 last year.

On Thursday, the court heard from Jessica Wilkinson - the victim's sister - who had been in a relationship with the defendant previously.

The relationship ended in December 2021 when she "lost it" with him, as she didn't agree with his drug use.

READ MORE: Buckley murder trial hears of man's struggle to save victim

And at around the same time, she assaulted Mitchell and his mum - for which she was subsequently convicted.

However, in the early hours of October 4 last year - the day of the fatal stabbing - Mitchell contacted her on Facebook.

She told the court she still had feelings for him, and that she was happy to hear from him.

They met in Buckley that morning and went back to Mitchell's home whilst his mother was out.

In his room, she stepped on a large kitchen knife.

When she asked what he had it for, he told her he was going to "use it on Dyl" - referring to Dylan Ashfield, an individual whom she'd entered into a relationship with since breaking up with Mitchell, and one of those responsible for criminal damage to the defendant's home on the night of the stabbing.

The blade was put under a pile of clothes in the room.

Ms Wilkinson spent the day in the defendant's room and at about 10pm, as he slept and she watched TV, a window at the property was smashed and the defendant's mum began to scream, she said.

Mitchell took the blade from under the clothes and ran from the bedroom - despite Ms Wilkinson's pleas for him not to.

When he returned, she explained, he was "shaking, like he'd seen a ghost."

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

She told prosecuting counsel Michael Jones KC: "He said he'd done something bad - he said he stabbed my brother, he stabbed Ste... that he hurt him really bad.

"I asked him if he sliced him or stabbed him and he wouldn't answer me.

"I was shouting - I need to find Ste."

But Mitchell didn't tell her where to find him.

Ms Wilkinson emotionally told the jury of what happened after she left the property, explaining: "I went past the Tiv (Tivoli), across the street - I shouted Ste's name.

"I was saying if you make a noise, I can carry you home - but I couldn't find him."

Ms Wilkinson returned to her home and alerted her family.

Her mother went out to look for Mr Wilkinson as Jessica stayed at home with her nan.

She told the court: "My nan got a call and she put the phone on her chest and said: they've found him and there's no heartbeat. He's gone.

"My mum came back and everyone was crying.

"We got in the car and made our way to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, we followed the ambulance all the way - praying for him as a family."

Gordon Cole KC, defending, said he didn't challenge the assertion that there had been a kitchen knife in Mitchell's room, but he said: "At no stage did he say he was going to 'use it on Dyl' did he?"

"He did, yes," Ms Wilkinson answered.

Asked if she thought the window at Mitchell's had been smashed because she'd been there, or because Dylan had found out about that, she said: "Not at all."

She described the defendant as a generally "dopey character," and that he'd appeared his usual self when they met on October 4.

Asked if the defendant had appeared in "a state of complete shock" when he returned to the bedroom after the incident, she said: "I'd say so."

The Leader:

Mr Cole KC put to the witness that the breakup of her relationship with Mitchell was because she had been aggressive towards him - on December 4, 2021 and other occasions.

She said it wasn't, but asked if she "can be aggressive," she answered: "I can be."

The trial continues on Monday.