Gareth Hart death: Murder trial jury shown CCTV of man's last moments

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

CCTV footage of the last moments before a man was allegedly stabbed to death near a seaside amusement park has been seen by jurors at Lincoln Crown Court.

Prosecutors said Gareth Hart, 43, from Barnsley, was on holiday in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, when he was attacked by 33-year-old Joseph Malek.

Mr Malek, from Belper, Derbyshire, is said to have fatally stabbed Mr Hart after he left a takeaway on 6 April.

At his trial, Mr Malek denies murder and possessing an offensive weapon.

The footage from within the takeaway near the Fantasy Island amusement park at Ingoldmells just before 01:00 BST showed Mr Hart "being silly" and picking up some faeces left behind by another customer's dog, the jury was told.

Christopher Donnellan, prosecuting, said Mr Hart could then be seen standing in the door of the Fantasy Bar and Grill takeaway before moving outside where he became involved in a tussle with Mr Malek.

Mr Donnellan told jurors Mr Hart had made a crude remark which was either aimed at a child or a Pomeranian dog.

"At that point, Joseph Malek decided to intervene," Mr Donnellan said.

He added that Mr Malek then told Mr Hart: "That's out of order."

Mr Donnellan said Mr Malek had asked the other man to show respect for the child and the owner of the dog, who Mr Malek did not know.

"It appears the first punch thrown was from Gareth Hart to Joseph Malek," Mr Donnellan added.

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

Jurors were then shown further CCTV footage from the opposite side of the road, near a bar called Buddies.

Mr Donnellan said at that point Mr Malek could have chosen to walk away, but he had instead chosen "to take out a knife, and not to walk away".

The prosecutor said Mr Malek then used a pen-knife to stab Mr Hart as they tussled before he ran from the scene.

Mr Malek deliberately and unlawfully used a knife with at least an intent to cause Mr Hart serious harm, Mr Donnellan added.

He said the blade went through the wall of Mr Hart's chest cavity and into his heart and he died a short time later.

In the aftermath of the incident, Mr Donnellan said Mr Malek had returned to the nearby Butlins holiday camp where he was staying with his sister.

Shortly after, he sent a message to his mother which read: "You need to come and get me, it's serious."

Mr Donnellan said Mr Malek's mother arrived at Butlins shortly after 04:30 BST and by 07:29 BST they had returned to Derbyshire.

During a later police search, a pen-knife was found in a puddle, but it had no blood on it, the jury was told.

"That is no surprise as it had been in the water," Mr Donnellan said.

The trial continues.