Man sold knife to his alleged killer before death

Matthew Cainey (pictured) died after being stabbed at a block of flats in Gloucester

A man sold a knife to his alleged killer on the night he was stabbed to death, a jury has heard.

Matthew Cainey, 53, died after being stabbed inside a block of flats in Bedford Street, Gloucester on 28 May.

Kane Kotwica, 39, from Longford, is accused of murdering Mr Cainey and attempting to murder 41-year-old Jamie Bullock and 38-year-old Luke Lambert, who were stabbed that night.

Mr Kotwica denies any wrongdoing and is on trial at Bristol Crown Court.

Diane Cullis told the court earlier that she invited a group of people into her flat on the evening of 27 May.

Ms Cullis said she left Mr Cainey and her friend Hannah Roberts in her flat while she went to visit her partner and returned at about "one or two o'clock in the morning" on 28 May.

She said that while she was out, Mr Cainey and Ms Roberts had let Mr Kotwica, Mr Bullock and Mr Lambert into her flat.

An argument later broke out between Mr Kotwica and Mr Bullock, Ms Cullis told the court.

She confirmed to Edward Henry KC, defending, that they had all been taking drugs and drinking alcohol on the night of the incident.

The incident unfolded into the early hours of 28 May

Ms Cullis said she had known Mr Cainey "a very good few years".

She denied knowing he carried a knife.

Mr Henry said: "He sold a knife to Kane Kotwica in your flat."

Ms Cullis replied: "Well I wasn't there to see that."

Ms Cullis said when tensions between Mr Kotwica and Mr Bullock started running high, Mr Kotwica got a knife from her kitchen.

She said Ms Roberts grabbed it off him and they then asked him to leave her flat.

The prosecution allege that Mr Kotwica returned to the premises later that morning and stabbed Mr Cainey, Mr Bullock and Mr Lambert.

Mr Kotwica has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of maliciously wounding and one count of manslaughter.

The trial continues.