Connor Brown murder trial: Teen witnesses speak of horror at seeing fatal stabbing of Connor Brown, 18, in Sunderland Street

A teenager said he was "shocked, frozen" after he witnessed a fatal city centre street stabbing, murder jurors have heard.
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Connor Brown, who was 18, died after he had been stabbed five times in the chest and back in a Sunderland city centre alleyway in February.

Prosecutors claim the teen had bravely stepped in when knifeman Leighton Barrass threatened to stab members of the public in a revenge attack after he had been punched on the nose.Jurors have heard Barrass's pal Ally Gordon joined in the fatal attack by "encouraging and assisting" Barrass by "kicking and stamping" on Mr Brown.

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Barrass, 20, of Hartside Square and Gordon, 20, of Polmuir Road, both Sunderland, deny murder and are being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

The scene of Connor Brown's stabbing in SunderlandThe scene of Connor Brown's stabbing in Sunderland
The scene of Connor Brown's stabbing in Sunderland

Sam Lilley told detectives, in a video recorded interview which has been played in court, he saw parts of what happened while he was on a night out in the city with his friends.Mr Lilley said he thought someone had punched Barrass, who briefly left the area with a bloody face but then said it was "all kicking off".He said he heard someone shouting "he's got a knife" and he saw Connor being stabbed.Mr Lilley said: "He just stabbed him."He added; "He started stabbing him. I thought they were hitting each other."Someone else kicked the lad who was getting stabbed."The teen told jurors: "Connor was trying to hit him back but you could tell he was getting tireder and tireder."Mr Lilley said the incident happened "quick as owt" and added: "Connor stood back up and he just fell".The teenager said: "I was shocked, frozen. I couldn't believe what I saw."Another teenager who had been out that night said he also saw the stabbing.Joshua King said: "I heard someone shouting 'he's got a knife. As I turned around I saw he had what I think was a Swiss, like a flick knife and I saw him stab Connor."

Mr King said after the stabbing he ran to get help from bouncers to help Mr Brown and tried to move people from the area to allow paramedics access.Mr King said the knife he thought had been used in the stabbing was dropped between his feet but he did not touch it.The trial continues.

Connor Brown murder trial in full:

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