A WITNESS to an alleged murder has told a court he heard the accused say: “I have stabbed him, I have stabbed him”.

The man said he saw Craig Conway and Simon Bennett grappling in the street in what was a pre-arranged fight.

He agreed with prosecutor Andrew Robertson that the pair, who were both friends, “steamed towards each other”, before exchanging punches.

Mr Conway, who the witness referred to as ‘Bruno’, denies the murder of Mr Bennett and is on trial at Teesside Crown Court.

He admits manslaughter arising from the fatal stabbing at about 11.30pm in The Greenway, Thorntree, Middlesbrough, on May 8 this year.

The Crown alleges the 30-year-old defendant went to the scene with a knife, although the weapon concerned has never been recovered.

Giving evidence in the closing stages of the defence case, the witness, who was present on a motorbike at the time, said he had urged one of the men not to fight as it was not worth it.

But he was ignored. After the confrontation he said he saw ‘Simo’ – Simon Bennett – with blood seeping through his top.

He said Mr Conway, of Epworth Green, Middlesbrough, shouted: “I have stabbed him, I have stabbed him”, before he sped off on his bike.

The man said he remained while an ambulance was called to the victim and the police arrived.

The trial has heard how Mr Conway was angry at apparently being called a “divvy” by Mr Bennett, a 28-year-old hairdresser.

The defendant claims he did not want to fight and picked something up off the ground as Mr Bennett got the better of him and lashed out with it.

The trial continues.