Man stabbed to death with machete in row - court

Kyle Marshall, 37, died following an incident in Well Head Fields in June 2024

A man was stabbed to death with a machete by two people in a park following a row, a court has heard.

Kyle Marshall, 37, died after being injured during an incident in Wellhead Fields, Bourne, Lincolnshire, on the evening of 26 June 2024.

Reece Bruns, 20, of St Paul's Gardens, Bourne, and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, both deny murder.

Lincoln Crown Court heard there had been a disagreement between the two defendants and members of Mr Marshall's family, which led to a confrontation. The jury was told it resulted in the 37-year-old being killed with a blow to his chest from a machete that was handed to Mr Bruns by the teenager at the last moment.

Prosecutor Pavlos Panayi KC told jurors the sequence of events began some three weeks earlier on 1 June when the 17-year-old was involved in an incident with Mr Marshall's nephew at a local festival.

Later that same night Mr Bruns was involved in a confrontation with Mr Marshall's brother-in-law, the jury heard.

Mr Panayi said Mr Marshall was not present at either incident because, at the time, he was on remand in custody for a matter that was later dropped against him.

"[Mr Marshall] has a history of threatening and using violence," said Mr Panayi.

Five days after his release from custody on 21 June, Mr Marshall was sent a message informing him the two defendants were in the park, the court was told.

"They all knew Kyle Marshall was on his way to settle things, to sort things out with Reece Bruns," said Mr Panayi.

Jurors heard the 17-year-old had said he was "going to get my machete" before returning to the park wearing a long winter jacket, in which the machete was concealed in an inside pocket. He also obtained a second knife.

"When Mr Marshall found them nine minutes later he came charging towards Reece Bruns. We say he was clearly unarmed," said Mr Panayi.

The prosecution claims Mr Bruns asked the 17-year-old to "give me the knife" when Mr Marshall came very close to them.

Mr Marshall tried to protect himself but was stabbed and left bleeding to death, jurors heard.

The trial continues.

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