A 15-year-old boy told a jury how he ran off crying after watching his friend take his dying breath.

Luke Chart told Lewes Crown Court today he ran to fetch Jay Kensett's mother after he was fatally stabbed with a kitchen knife in March last year.

Darren Mateer, 31, of no fixed address but formerly of Whitehawk, is accused of murdering 16-year-old Jay by stabbing him in the back after a fight in Whitehawk Way between Jay and Darren's brother Jonathan.

The scuffle started after Jay and a group of about nine friends shouted abuse at Mateer's sister, Leanne.

The court heard during the fight Darren had wanted to join in but was told "it's one on one".

Luke, of Windfield Close, Mile Oak, said: "Darren really wanted to jump in and help his brother." At one point Jay appeared to be winning but he slipped, giving Jonathan Mateer the advantage.

Speaking about the moments after the stabbing, Luke said: "Jay couldn't get any air. He couldn't talk. I ran to his mother's house to get help. I was crying."

Earlier another friend told how he tried in vain to stop Jay being stabbed.

Gary Tipping, 17, of Sevelands Close, Whitehawk, was cut on the hand when he tried to deflect the knife, the court heard.

Gary was with former Marina High School pupil Jay, of Pulborough Close, Whitehawk, and a group of friends who had spent the evening in Churchill Square, Brighton, on March 26.

The group caught the same bus back to Whitehawk as the defendant's brother, Jonathan Mateer, and his sister, Leanne, and got off at the same stop in Elm Grove.

The court has heard Jay and his friends shouted abuse at Leanne and Jonathan Mateer returned to confront the group with his brother.

Gary said: "Jonathan Mateer walked straight over. He said 'Who was the prick who started?' Jay turned round and said 'what?'"

The pair came to blows, with Jay ending up pinned on his back on the ground with Jonathan on top punching him.

Gary said Jay had just managed to break free and was starting to stand up when he saw Darren Mateer walk towards Jay with a knife.

Gary said: "He jabbed Jay with the knife.

"I tried to deflect the knife. I flew my hand in it to try and stop it. It was a reaction. I got a little cut on the index

finger."

The hearing continues.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.