Buckley stabbing: Man killed in street by friend, jury told

Steven Wilkinson was described as "so enthusiastic about life" by his family

A man accused of murdering his former friend chased him through the streets before stabbing him in the heart and lung, a court has heard.

Jamie Mitchell, 25, from Buckley, in Flintshire, denies murdering 23-year-old Steven Wilkinson.

He died at Wrexham Maelor Hospital following an attack on Precinct Way in Buckley, last October.

Mold Crown Court heard how he was "pursued, cornered and intentionally stabbed" by Mr Mitchell.

Opening the case against him, Michael Jones KC, prosecuting, said Mr Mitchell "purposefully" left his house with a kitchen knife on the night of 4 October.

Mr Wilkinson was left with "catastrophic" and ultimately fatal injuries, jurors heard.

Mr Jones told the court the men had been friends, but had fallen out after Mr Mitchell started a relationship with Mr Wilkinson's sister, Jessica, in 2020.

The relationship ended in 2021, but had been rekindled the day Mr Wilkinson was killed.

The day before, Mr Jones said Mr Wilkinson had been confronted by Mr Mitchell in a local Spar shop, saying "just wait until you get outside".

'Fearful'

A member of staff at the shop said Mr Wilkinson appeared to be "fearful" of Mr Mitchell.

On the day of Mr Wilkinson's death, Jessica had stayed at Mr Mitchell's house, but she stayed out of sight of his mother having previously been convicted of assaulting her and Mr Mitchell.

There had also been a series of complaints about her behaviour and that of her friends and new boyfriend, Dylan Ashfield, including of causing criminal damage to Mr Mitchell's house.

But there was no evidence, Mr Jones said, that Mr Wilkinson was involved.

He told the court that when Jessica went into Mr Mitchell's bedroom, she saw a kitchen knife on the floor and asked him why it was there.

Mr Jones said she was told he intended to use it on Mr Ashfield before hiding it under a pile of clothes.

Later that evening, a window was smashed at the house and Mr Mitchell took the knife he had hidden and left the house looking for those he thought were responsible, the court heard.

Neither Mr Wilkinson nor his friend, Jordan Spencer, were involved, Mr Jones said, having spent the evening at two pubs in the town, before buying food from a takeaway.

As the two friends were walking towards their homes at around 22:00 BST, they saw a figure in black they realised was Mr Mitchell coming towards them.

Mr Spencer saw he had a knife and told Mr Wilkinson to run.

He was chased across a grass bank and into Jubilee Court, where, cornered in a garden at the back of the properties, Mr Jones said Mr Mitchell stabbed Mr Wilkinson through the chest, piercing his lung and heart before running away.

Jurors were told they would see CCTV footage of the pursuit and hear from a witness walking home from a local gym, who saw Mr Mitchell running after Mr Wilkinson.

Mr Jones told the jury Mr Wilkinson had initially stayed on his feet after the attack, and tried to make a bandage with his t-shirt.

His friend Mr Spencer and another man tried to help him and called an ambulance. He died later that night at Wrexham Maelor hospital.

Mr Mitchell went home and told Jessica "I stabbed Steven" and that it was "really bad".

A police officer who had come to Mr Mitchell's address to investigate the criminal damage heard about the stabbing on his radio and that Mr Mitchell was the main suspect, and arrested him.

The trial continues.