VARYING accounts of a Boxing Day stabbing outside a cricket club bar have been given during the trial of the man accused of inflicting the blow.

Durham Crown Court heard that a 28-year-old man suffered a single stab wound to the upper chest in the clash outside Etherley Cricket Club, in High Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, late on December 26.

Thomas Ian Adams, known as ‘Tom’, is accused of using a Swiss Army knife to inflict the wound in a confrontation minutes after an earlier clash inside the club, where a karaoke night was being staged.

Adams, the son of club steward Fred Adams, and Michael Joseph Dunn, were asked to leave the premises.

Adrian Dent, prosecuting, said there had been “ill-feeling” between some of those at the club and Dunn, also known as Michael Tray, over alleged drug use.

The prosecution alleges that a drinker from the club who went out for a cigarette intervened to part a friend involved in a scuffle with Adams.

Mr Dent said the victim did not initially realise he had been stabbed until Adams turned and threatened to “cut up” another man, before fleeing on foot.

But as he began to bleed heavily he was helped back into the clubhouse before being taken to hospital for surgery for a wound which damaged the muscle between two ribs.

Mr Dent said: “He was extremely fortunate not to have sustained more serious injury as, luckily, no vital organs were damaged.”

Adams was arrested early the following day and claimed the injury had nothing to do with him.

The knife used to inflict the blow was not recovered by police, although it was said that Adams was carrying such a weapon earlier in the evening.

Adams, 31, of The Crescent, High Etherley, admits a charge of possessing an offensive weapon, but denies affray and wounding with intent, plus the alternative count of unlawful wounding.

He claims he acted in self-defence as he came under attack outside the club.

Contrasting versions of the lead up to the incident have been given to the court by other customers at the club that night.

Dunn, 29, of Red Houses, High Etherley, previously admitted affray and remains in custody awaiting sentence at the end of the trial of his co-accused.

The trial continues tomorrow (Wednesday June 5).