Buckley murder: Man chased victim through Flintshire town before stabbing him, court hears

A man accused of murdering a 23-year-old chased him through the streets of a Flintshire town before cornering him in an alleyway and stabbing him with a kitchen knife, a court heard.

Jamie Mitchell, 25, denies murdering Steven Wilkinson, 23, in October last year.

Mitchell had rekindled a relationship with the victim's sister Jessica on October 4, and they had spent the whole day together, including at his mother's home on Lexham Green Close in Buckley, when a window was smashed at the property, Mold Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Michael Jones KC told the jury that Jessica's ex-partner was responsible for breaking the window, and has already been prosecuted for the offence.

The court heard there is no suggestion that Mr Wilkinson had anything to do with the window being broken, and was in fact at the White Lion in Buckley watching a football match at the time. He was seen on CCTV arriving at the pub, and then moved on to the Black Lion.

Mr Wilkinson was seen at around 9.40pm chatting outside the pub, and later got food from a nearby kebab house and started walking home.

After the window was broken, Mitchell had armed himself with a kitchen knife and gone looking for those he thought were responsible, the court heard.

He found Mr Wilkinson, who saw the hooded Mitchell run towards him and his friends and pull a knife from his waistband.

The friends split up and Mr Wilkinson went over a grass bank by Aldi on Jubilee Road, with Mitchell said to be in pursuit.

It was said that a witness saw Mr Wilkinson fall on the verge as Mitchell chased him. The men were followed by Mr Wilkinson's friend, who was trying to help the 23-year-old.

The court heard that Mr Wilkinson ran into an alleyway and became trapped by a locked door.

CCTV did not capture what happened next, but it was said that audio was captured of the attack happening.

Mr Wilkinson was seen getting out of the alleyway bleeding, as Mitchell walked away with the knife in his hand.

The emergency services were called by his friend, who took the 23-year-old to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, where he later died.

The court heard that the wound was roughly six to seven inches deep and pierced the victim's lung and heart.

Mitchell returned home after the attack and told his mother he had done "something bad", before telling Jessica he had "stabbed Steve", the court heard.

Mitchell denies murdering Mr Wilkinson, and claimed he was acting in self-defence when the pair allegedly ran at one another in the alleyway and the knife "accidentally" caused the fatal injury.

The trial continues.