Passers-by tried to save pub landlord, jury told

Stephanie Langley is accused of murdering Matthew Bryant, her former brother-in law

Passers-by tried to save the life of a landlord after he had been stabbed outside his Maidstone pub, jurors have heard.

Matthew Bryant was pronounced dead as he lay in the street in front of the Hare and Hounds pub last September.

Stephanie Langley, from East Farleigh, is accused of stabbing her former brother-in-law three times with a kitchen knife.

She denies murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter in the ongoing Maidstone Crown Court trial.

'Tried to help'

Jurors previously heard that Ms Langley had claimed Mr Bryant had raped a woman she knew.

Giving evidence, Liam Harrison said he had been on his way home from his job with Kent County Council when he came across a man lying face down in the street and a knife on the ground.

He got out of his car and went to assist another man who was also trying to help, the court heard.

He said he "took my work shirt off, rolled it up and applied pressure” after seeing blood coming from his shoulder.

Mr Harrison said the man appeared “lifeless” and when they rolled him over they saw a wound on his chest.

He started doing chest compressions and the other man went to get a piece of plastic “like a debit card” to try to stop air escaping from the wound, jurors heard.

Mr Harrison said there had been a woman nearby, adding: “I could hear her saying ‘I’m glad I done it. I hope he dies’.”

Asked if she said anything else, he answered: “She kept repeating ‘leave him, leave him. I hope he bleeds out, leave him to die’ - words to that effect.”

Ben Thurston, a Kent Fire and Rescue officer, was on his way home from work when he came upon the scene, the court heard.

He said he was part of a specialist search and rescue team and his first aid training included dealing with shootings and stabbings.

He got his trauma kit and worked on Mr Bryant until the emergency paramedic team arrived and Mr Bryant was pronounced dead, the court was told.

He said the woman nearby was saying “just let him die, let him die, don’t bother helping”.

Toxicology reports showed the defendant’s alcohol level was below the drink driving limit and Mr Bryant’s had been four times above it, jurors heard.

The trial continues.