Gareth Hart death: Man on trial accused of Ingoldmells murder

Gareth Hart, 43, died after an altercation in Ingoldmells, Lincoln Crown Court heard

A man has gone on trial accused of murdering another man who was on holiday in Lincolnshire.

Gareth Hart, 43, from Barnsley, died in a car park after being stabbed in the heart near the Fantasy Island amusement park at Ingoldmells in April.

Joseph Malek, 33, from Belper, Derbyshire, denies killing Mr Hart and possessing an offensive weapon.

On Monday, prosecutors told Lincoln Crown Court that what began as a tussle turned into a fatal stabbing.

They claim Mr Malek deliberately and unlawfully used a knife with at least an intent to cause Mr Hart serious harm.

The jury was told that police had been called to an altercation at about 01:00 BST on 6 April.

Prosecutor Christopher Donnellan said : "It is right to say Gareth Hart may have thrown the first blow, whether it struck or not.

"What then happened, this defendant took out this knife, opened the knife and then struck the fatal blow among other blows."

The car park in Ingoldmells was cordoned off after the fatal stabbing near Fantasy Island on 6 April

Mr Donnellan said the blade went through the wall of Mr Hart's chest cavity and into his heart.

"Most people did not see Joseph Malek had a knife - and that probably included Gareth Hart," Mr Donnellan added.

The court was told that despite the efforts of people in the area to save Mr Hart, who had been staying in Skegness with his fiancee and various children, he died a short time later.

Mr Donnellan told jurors that many of those involved in the case, including Mr Hart, had spent a peaceful evening in the nearby Buddies bar before crossing over to the nearby Fantasy Bar and Grill.

Mr Malek, of Market Place, Belper, who was staying at the Butlins resort with his sister and other family members, had arrived alone at Buddies, Mr Donnellan said.

It was in the bar that the two men's paths first crossed, with CCTV footage showing both men visiting the toilet within a minute of each other and also standing at opposite ends of the bar, the prosecutor said.

"There was a bit of silliness going on with balloons" Mr Donnellan said.

"It appears Mr Hart was being quite jovial and interacted with other groups."

The prosecutor said he accepted Mr Malek, who had been carrying a pen-knife inside a money pouch, had not misbehaved within the Fantasy Bar and Grill.

The trial continues.