Murder jury hears of fatal attack

Andrew Ross died after a night out in Abergele

A jury at Mold Crown Court has heard how an 18-year-old was stabbed to death after a night out in Abergele.

Andrew Ross died at the scene and his 19-year-old best friend Raymond Brindley also suffered severe injuries.

The pair, said to be like brothers, were stabbed as they made their way home in the early hours of 3 July.

The court heard that Peter John Matthews, 18, who denies murder and attempted murder, had been in a bad mood and "looking for trouble".

Like brothers

Mold Crown Court was told Andrew Ross was stabbed with a knife six times, one blow fractured a bone.

A Conwy resident who witnessed the incident called the emergency services but when paramedics arrived there was no sign of life.

The defendant will claim that he acted in self defence and the injuries had been caused by a screwdriver and not a knife. Gregory Bull QC, prosecuting

Jurors were told on Monday that the two young men were so close that they were like brothers.

They had been best friends in school, worked together at The Grampian Food factory in Sandycroft on Deeside and socialised together.

They had been out in Abergele and had been "acting the goat" as they made their way home.

Weapon

It is claimed the pair had been drinking alcohol and taking cannabis but at a bridge over the River Gele between Faenol Avenue and Ffordd y Morfa they came across the defendant.

It was alleged that Mr Matthews was in a bad mood and looking for trouble.

It was the prosecution's case that he started the violence.

'Coming at me'

Gregory Bull QC said the knife had never been recovered "because the defendant has hidden it somewhere and refuses to tell us where".

I think I swore back at him and said we had no beef with him. Before I knew it, he was coming at me with his fist. Raymond Brindley

He said the defendant would claim that he acted in self defence and the injuries had been caused by a screwdriver and not a knife.

Mr Matthews, who the court heard had also been drinking and had taken cannabis, is said to have carried a screwdriver around with him for about four months.

Giving evidence, Mr Brindley said he went to the aid of Mr Ross after he was punched by the defendant.

Mr Brindley told the jury that he did not see a weapon during the fight, but saw his friend slumped on the ground with blood coming from a wound in his chest.

"I could see that blood was getting larger and larger in the chest area and I was getting worried," he said.

He said that he was very concerned about his friend and said it was obvious that he was seriously ill.

Mr Brindley alleged that the man who had punched them said "see, you should not have messed with me."

Mr Brindley said he and Mr Ross had been "boisterous" on the way home from a night out, when they came across the defendant, who swore at them and there was a verbal exchange.

"I think I swore back at him and said we had no beef with him," said Mr Brindley.

"Before I knew it, he was coming at me with his fist."

The court heard that he suffered four wounds - to the back of the shoulder, above the left eye, one to the jaw line and one to his thumb.

Matthews denies the murder of Mr Ross, the attempted murder of Mr Brindley, together with an alternative charge of wounding Mr Brindley with intent to do him grievous bodily harm.

The case continues.