A dad of three was warned he would "get hurt" just minutes before he was knifed to death outside a village pub.

Adam Pritchard had also been told in a series of WhatsApp exchanges that the man who was to eventually stab him later that night was "off his head" and could not be stopped.

There was even a threat the 35-year-old painter and decorator might be shot.

But Mr Pritchard appeared to dismiss the remarks, saying he would have a beer, not a fight, at The Queen's Head in Boughton-under-Blean.

Jurors at Canterbury Crown Court were told he also phoned his brother to tell him the row had been "sorted" and reiterated he was going for a drink.

But within minutes of him entering the venue on March 13 this year, Mr Pritchard was dead, having been fatally wounded by William Cosier.

Cosier, who is known as Billy or Bill, initially punched the dad-of-three before arming himself with a large knife from the pub kitchen.

A fight then broke out in the street in which the blade penetrated through Mr Pritchard's ribcage into his chest and abdomen to a depth of almost 23cm.

As a consequence, he suffered damage to his lung and liver, causing him to eventually collapse in the street from massive blood loss.

Despite being dragged into a car and an ambulance being chased and flagged down, he died at the roadside en route to hospital.

Jurors were told by the prosecution at the start of Cosier's trial that Mr Pritchard, who lived with his partner and their young children in Faversham, was killed in "an act of aggression" by the 34-year-old.

Mr Pritchard had arrived at the pub shortly before closing time following an exchange of calls and WhatsApp messages earlier in the evening with one-time friend Craig Brabon.

These, the court was told, veered from "friendly banter" to a row and back to banter.

Cosier, who had been at The Queen's Head since lunchtime drinking lager and whisky as well as snorting cocaine, became involved and at one stage he spoke to Mr Pritchard on the phone for several minutes.

Giving evidence earlier this week, he claimed Mr Pritchard had repeatedly threatened him.

He told jurors he armed himself with the knife simply to "scare” Mr Pritchard away, but then came under fire multiple times from a BB gun brandished by him.

Although it is accepted two knife wounds were inflicted during the confrontation, Cosier said he could not remember the blade coming into contact with his alleged victim.

Cosier, of Well Lane, Fordwich, near Canterbury, denies murder and the alternative offence of manslaughter.

The court heard that after the fatality, police downloaded data from several phones, including those attributed to the deceased and Mr Brabon.

Analysis revealed numerous messages, interspersed with phone calls, had been sent and received by them in the three hours leading up to the stabbing that night.

The conversations veered from "friendly banter" - with remarks about their respective looks - to ones of a "more aggressive" nature and with references by both parties to guns.

There was also the swapping of selfies showing Mr Pritchard lifting weights and wearing his distinctive "knuckleduster" ring, and Mr Brabon flexing a bicep.

Some of the WhatsApp messages featured kisses or laughing emojis.

Jurors were told that although once close, the pair had fallen out and one of Mr Brabon's messages referred to his former friend as having "turned his back" on him.

Although general banter continued with talk of having a beer together, a WhatsApp was then sent to Mr Brabon which read: "You ain't the sort of fella I want around me and my family.

"I wish ya all the best of luck but my life's changed and I don't want people like you round me. Good luck in life mate take care."

The court heard that no details of the actual phone chats were available and some calls between the pair went unanswered.

But at one stage Mr Brabon could be seen on pub CCTV handing his phone to Cosier.

Asked in court about the conversation, Cosier told the jury he spoke to Mr Pritchard, telling him that he and Mr Brabon were "behaving like a pair of idiots".

Cosier added: "He didn't appreciate it. I said 'Stop phoning each other, there's no need for it' and he started effing and blinding, making threats and saying what did it have to do with me."

He said there were also threats from Mr Pritchard to go to the pub "with his mates and bring weapons".

The court heard that following that conversation, Mr Brabon received a message saying "Come away from ya little mates or I can come there if you want with a few and it won't end well, up to you".

It was at 9.25pm - just over an hour before the fatal stabbing - that a message stating "Queen's Head, waiting" was sent from Mr Brabon's phone to Mr Pritchard.

However, 20 minutes later came the warning of the potential consequences if he was to show up.

A message from Mr Brabon's phone read: "Don't come mate if you wanna fight me that's cool but you come here you get hurt."

The response, however, stated: "Haha, listen little Craig. If I wanted to fight you I would say. That ain't the case but yeah I will be coming there for a beer."

This was answered with "Don't mate Bill off his head and I won't be able to stop him. Your choice. I've warned you."

The message sent in return then read: "Haha do you really think I'm worried about him yeah".

This was met with: "If he don't beat ya in a fight he shot ya tomoz you don't need that your doing good stay away."

A WhatsApp from Mr Pritchard's phone then stated: "No mate I will shoot him."

The court heard Mr Pritchard was then asked if he wanted to buy guns, to which the response was "I got plenty thanks".

Having said he would be at the pub in half an hour and was "game whatever way", there was another call from Mr Brabon's phone to Mr Pritchard, followed by a message at 10.26pm saying "Pub shuts in 10".

Nine minutes later, Mr Pritchard walked in, accompanied by a friend, and was immediately punched by Cosier.

A brief exchange of blows ensued, leading to Cosier falling over. Once back on his feet he picked up a bar stool as Mr Pritchard headed back out of the door.

It was at that point that Cosier made his way to the pub kitchen and, ignoring the landlady's pleas, grabbed the knife which was to inflict the fatal wound just three minutes later.

Cosier told the court in his evidence on Monday that he did not use Mr Brabon's phone to send any messages himself.

Nor was he aware, he said, of Mr Brabon telling Mr Pritchard he would "get hurt" if he went to the pub.

"I can't say what he was writing because it's not me messaging him," he added, before denying he was "off his head" as Mr Brabon had claimed.

Cosier also denied during cross-examination that the pair had talked about "going to Faversham" to fight Mr Pritchard, and could not recall, as alleged, Mr Brabon telling his former friend "You're going to pay for what you've done".

During questions about his assertions that he was scared of Mr Pritchard, Cosier was accused by the prosecutor of wanting "a very serious" fight that night.

Referring to the several occasions Cosier had gone into the pub kitchen to pick up a knife and even talk to staff about "stabbing someone in the ribcage", Mr Ramble said: "You were well up for a fight right from early on in the evening, as soon as the row develops between Adam Pritchard and Craig Brabon.

"You are not scared, fearful. You are up for a fight."

But Cosier replied: "No I'm not. Not at all."

Mr Ramble continued: "What other reason do you have for grabbing a knife from the knife block?"

Cosier answered: "Bad taste, having a joke. At the time there was no bad intentions, nothing about fights."

"But this was just after those calls between Craig Brabon and Adam Pritchard," added the prosecutor.

"Exactly. Not me," retorted the defendant. "I was just having a laugh and joke with the girls and enjoying my night."

When it was suggested he had been "very aggressive and angry" during his phone conversation with Mr Pritchard, Cosier maintained he had not said anything to provoke him.

"Anything I said was to talk him down, trying to sort it out," he added.

CCTV footage was also played in court showing Cosier raising his arms to flex his biceps, chatting with customers and bending down to stroke a dog.

At the same time, a second pub kitchen knife - not the one used to eventually stab Mr Pritchard - was visible down the back of his trousers.

"Is that you scared?" asked Mr Ramble as the footage was viewed.

"I was just trying to play it cool," replied Cosier.

The trial continues.