Simon Clark murder: Stabbing 'was in self defence'

Simon Clark was found dead on 28 September

A caravan park resident was stabbed during a fight with his neighbours and left to "die where he fell," a court has heard.

The body of Simon Clark, 54, was found at his residential caravan in Grove Caravan Park, Pendine, Carmarthenshire, on 28 September last year.

His neighbours Steven Baxter, 52, and Jeffrey Ward, 40, are accused of murder before going on the run.

They deny the charge at Swansea Crown Court.

Prosecutor Paul Lewis said the men had been involved in "an altercation" the night before, adding: "Both attacked Mr Clark.

"But it was Steven Baxter who then inflicted the fatal wound upon him during the attack."

Jurors were told the victim's body was found by a friend in the doorway of his caravan the following day after he had been stabbed in the chest with a knife.

'Self-defence'

Mr Lewis said he was still clutching a metal pole, which could have been used in a fight between the men, with him left to "die where he fell".

The court heard Mr Baxter and his partner Linda Rowley owned the caravan next door to Mr Clark, while the other defendant, Mr Ward, also lived nearby on the park.

Mr Lewis said a post-mortem examination suggested Mr Clark suffered injuries to his left arm and hand "consistent with defence wounds" before his death.

He said it was only the defendants involved in the incident, adding that Mr Baxter admitted stabbing Mr Clark "in self-defence".

The prosecutor said the defendant also told police he grabbed it because it was "the nearest object" and the victim "fell on to the knife".

The trial continues.