A party guest suffered life-threatening injuries after a “minor disagreement” over some missing drugs erupted into violence, a court heard.

Owen Lane grabbed a carving knife from a block and thrust it into Rotimi Edwards with such force that it went right through his body, damaging his liver, it was alleged.

“He felt what he describes as the most immense punch in the stomach,” said prosecutor Dominic Connolly. “He felt the blade go into his stomach with immense force.

“He felt it twisting as it was inside him. He looked down and could see only the handle protruding from his stomach. Emergency surgery was carried out which saved his life.”

Mr Edwards had an L-shaped wound to his abdomen which was consistent with the blade being twisted.

Mr Connolly said 22-year-old Lane launched the attack after Mr Edwards, known as Timi or Tim, accused him of stealing his cocaine.

Mr Edwards was living in London at the time and went to Ashford for a night out with a friend. While at bars in the town centre they met a group of women. Lane was also there.

During the evening Mr Edwards drank heavily and took cocaine. In the early hours of June 4 he and his friend were invited to the “impromptu” party at a rented house in Lakemead, Singleton.

While in the kitchen he gave some cocaine to others. He left it on the side while he went upstairs to the toilet and when he returned it was gone.

VIDEO: Police at the scene the day after the stabbing

He asked Lane if he had taken the drug and he responded by denying it and swearing angrily at him.

Mr Edwards told him: “Don’t worry about it.” He continued talking to some of the women.

But he noticed Lane’s attitude had changed. Mr Edwards asked if he was alright and he replied: “No, I’m not, you have just accused me of stealing.”

Again, Mr Edwards told him not to worry about it and to “chill”, but Lane continued to swear at him.

Mr Connolly said Mr Edwards decided it was time to go. He went upstairs to the toilet and then looked down to see a blonde haired man looking up at him.

It was when he reached the bottom of the stairs he felt the “immense punch”.

He staggered into the kitchen where a woman put a tea towel over the wound. He was taken to the William Harvey Hospital and then transferred to King’s College Hospital in London.

Mr Connolly said Lane ran from the house bare-chested because his top had ripped in a struggle with another guest, taking the knife with him.

A neighbour saw him climbing over his garden fence. The knife with a 19.5cm long blade, was never found.

The blade lacerated his liver and exited out of his back. The “distance” covered was 15-20cm. He needed extensive surgery including the removal of his gall bladder.

Mr Edwards said in evidence he believed he was attacked because he made a joke about what Lane was wearing.

He had asked Lane calmly if he had taken his cocaine and he responded “abruptly and quite aggressive”.

“I said it doesn’t matter. You didn’t have to go on like that. I kind of made a joke. I said: ‘What’s the point of stealing it when I am giving it away?

“‘It’s kinda like wearing Adidas and Nike together.’ Everybody laughed. He was obviously annoyed, to say the least.”

Mr Edwards, who has a previous conviction for drug-dealing, told the jury of seven women and five men: “I made this joke and I feel like it got me stabbed. It just didn’t make sense.

“I don’t know who stabbed me, but I got stabbed. I am happy to be alive and see the birds in the sky.”

Mr Edwards said he had taken abut two grammes of cocaine he bought for £80 to Ashford with him. He took some at his friend’s home, while he was at bars and also at the party. He also drank alcohol.

“It made me jolly,” he said of the drug. “I was having a good time.”

When he was about to leave he came downstairs from the toilet there was a man he had seen in one of the bars earlier standing at the bottom.

“He didn’t have a knife,” he said. “He was waiting for me. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs rigid like a soldier. I got to the bottom of the stairs and felt a punch to my stomach.

“I was in the passage. I felt pain in my stomach. My life was leaving me. I didn’t see him do it. When I was in the kitchen I saw a brown handle coming out of my belly.

“I looked down again and it had gone. One particular girl practically saved my life. I was thinking: I am not going to die here.”

An ambulance came and took him to hospital.

Mr Edwards declined to refresh his memory from his police statement saying: “The trauma is never ending. I don’t like to relive those memories. It makes me upset when I see that.”

Owen, of Imperial Way, Ashford, denies attempted murder and an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The trial continues.