A man whose friend was stabbed in the heart told a jury how an angry confrontation over a lost mobile phone led to his pal being killed.

Daniel Collard, 20, a bank worker, of Lower Bevendean Avenue, Brighton, died on the night of March 22, when he was fatally wounded in the knife attack.

Derry Davis, 20, of Hillside, Moulsecoomb, Brighton and Lee Smith, 32, of Springfield Road, Brighton, both deny a charge of murder at Lewes Crown Court.

Davis has also pleaded not guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Thomas Wright, a friend of Mr Collard's.

Yesterday, the court heard how Mr Collard was part of a group vandalising cars and acting in a loutish manner as they walked along Springfield Road after a night out at a pub. One of the cars belonged to Davis.

When one of the group lost their phone, the jury was told they wrongly believed it had been picked up by Smith, who they saw going into the house where he lived. Davis was staying with him.

Anthony Davis QC, prosecuting, said the group shouted demands for the phone to be returned and banged on a glass panel in the door so hard it smashed.

Prosecution counsel said they realised they had gone too far and walked away but Davis and Smith left the house to follow them and, when the two sides met up, they asked about the damage to the cars and the door. A violent fight started, which led to Mr Collard's death.

During cross-examination, Mr Wright, who lives in Portslade, said he was aware Davis had a knife and had to dodge out of the way as he slashed it backwards and forwards. He ran off and when he turned around he saw Mr Collard had been hurt.

He said: "We were not looking for trouble but if someone came up to us we were not going to back down."

The trial continues.