Stab victim came to cousin's aid

David Haynes was fatally stabbed on his 21st birthday

A deaf man whose cousin was stabbed to death told a court how the victim had come to his aid earlier in the evening.

Shane McLeod, 24, told jurors at Northampton Crown Court how David Haynes stood up for him as he was pushed in a Wellingborough nightclub.

Mr Haynes was stabbed in Silver Street, Wellingborough, on 26 August last year.

Nimesh Patel, 24, Shilesh Patel, 26, both of Wellingborough and Sandeep Phull, 22, of Northampton, all deny murder and conspiracy to cause GBH.

Communicating through a sign-language interpreter, Mr McLeod said Mr Haynes, who was celebrating his 21st birthday, had acted as a peacemaker when he became involved in pushing with a group of men in the Bar Life club.

They lost their temper very quickly with me Shane McLeod

Giving evidence, Mr McLeod said: "There was some people pushing me.

"I was trying to persuade people to calm down so I moved away from them.

"They tried to push me forwards - I think they didn't realise I couldn't hear.

"They lost their temper very quickly with me. I told them they did not know I was deaf.

"I pushed them away. David came up and said 'What's happened? Who is pushing you? He quickly walked over to talk to them. I couldn't understand what they were saying," Mr McLeod added.

Kitchen knife

Earlier in the trial jurors heard how Mr Haynes confronted Shilesh Patel, one of the Asian men who had clashed with his cousin, telling him "If you have got trouble with that guy, you have got trouble with me".

The altercation ended with both parties shaking hands but Shilesh Patel was later punched outside the club by Mr McLeod's party who had accused him of mocking their deaf friend.

Shilesh Patel then returned to his home in Winstanley Road, Wellingborough, with his co-defendants where he armed himself with a kitchen knife then returned to Silver Street and stabbed Mr Haynes in the stomach, jurors heard.

Mr Haynes died at Kettering General Hospital 12 hours later.

When questioned by police Shilesh Patel said the killing was an accident and that he was carrying a knife for protection, jurors were told.

Sandeep Phull, of Westcott Way, Abington Vale, Northampton and Nimesh Patel, of Covington Grove, Wellingborough, told officers they played no part in the stabbing.

The trial continues.