Connor Brown murder trial: Teenager describes moment his dying friend fell to the ground after being stabbed

A teenager has described the moment his dying friend fell to the ground after being stabbed in a street attack that followed a row over £5.
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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.

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Jurors have heard Barrass's pal Ally Gordon joined in the fatal attack by "encouraging and assisting" Barrass by "kicking and stamping" on Connor.

Connor Brown's friend described the moment the 18-year-old was stabbed in a Sunderland alley way during the murder trial at Newcastle Crown CourtConnor Brown's friend described the moment the 18-year-old was stabbed in a Sunderland alley way during the murder trial at Newcastle Crown Court
Connor Brown's friend described the moment the 18-year-old was stabbed in a Sunderland alley way during the murder trial at Newcastle Crown Court

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.

Read all the updates from the court here:

Stephen Nunn, who was then 18, told police during a video recorded interview, which has been played in court, how he bumped into Connor in Gatsby's bar during the Saturday night out and said he was "happy, having a laugh, enjoying himself".

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Mr Nunn said he and Connor were in a lane behind the bar when they saw Gordon, who he vaguely knew, with Barrass, who was a stranger to him and he described as having a "babyish" face. He said both men looked "high or drunk".

He told police that he was offered "pills" by the men and refused but when asked if he would swap £10 for two fives, he ended up £5 out of pocket.

He said Barrass, who "looked off his head or wired" then started to get "rowdy, swearing and stuff".

Mr Nunn added: "He started coming into my personal space and I punched him because I felt threatened by way he was going on towards me.

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"He wasn't threatening at first but swearing, getting rowdy. The condition he was in made me feel like I was in some sort of threat so I defended myself and I hit him."

Mr Nunn said he planned to go back towards the bar when he heard someone shouting "he's got a knife".

He added: "I didn't really think he had a knife with him. Obviously he did.

"I turned around and there was a massive commotion, like rumble sort of thing, a bunch of people together.

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"I remember seeing Connor's white top and an arm come around and hit him.

"I don't know if it was a punch or with the blade but a the time I didn't believe he had a knife with him."

Mr Nunn said his view of exactly what happened was obscured by the movement of people.

He said he felt like he "froze" during the incident, which lasted "a minute at most, might have been 30 seconds".

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He added: "All I remember, after the commotion separated, was Connor coming towards coming towards me and as he got closer I started to see a bit blood on him.

"It was on his top, he had a white top on, it was easy to notice. As he started to get closer he fell."

Mr Nunn said he ran to get help from nearby doorstaff when he realised what had happened.

He added: "I wanted to stay and help him because he's my mate."

The trial continues.