A court has heard how neighbours awoke to a “primal shriek” during the early hours after a man was fatally stabbed.

Paige Poulton, now 20, denies murder and possessing a bladed article after 25-year-old Jack Cadwallader was stabbed with a knife outside a flat in Southfields Way, Harriestsham near Maidstone on July 2.

At the start of her trial yesterday (April 8), prosecutor Sarah Jones KC told the jury of six men and six women that the teenager had "murderous intent" when she stabbed the victim.

Today (April 9), the court heard evidence from neighbours, as well as the police officers on duty.

James Harwood-Lucas, of Southfields Way, told the court how on the morning of the incident he was awake when he heard “raised voices” and one voice shouting loudly.

He went to the bathroom window and opened it, when he saw a female running around and shouting that someone needed CPR.

The court heard how the neighbour decided to go to the flat and spoke into a window open in the kitchen area and asked: “Is everyone alright?”

One guy replied: “No not really mate.” Mr Harwood-Lucas recalled.

The court heard how people came out the double doors of the flat, one of them being occupier, Bibiana Valery, who he recognised, and another who he didn’t, as he saw a patch of blood outside the doors.

When he asked them what had happened the guy told him a couple of men had come and attacked him and he was just defending himself.

In further statements read by prosecutor, another nearby resident Mike Riley explained how he had gone to bed, only to be woken at 1.20am when he heard a male and female shouting.

Similarly, the court heard neighbour Tom Schubert was also woken in similar circumstances as he recalled seeing three people moving about from a distance.

He explained he could hear someone saying: “Get him out of here or get them out of here,” in a manner he described as a “primal shriek”.

The jury was told how one resident Ashley Price looked out of his window and could see a silver Fiesta with a male inside with his feet “dangling” out as he heard someone say: “He’s not breathing.”

It was then heard how Mr Price saw the Fiesta drive off as a BMW arrived at the flat shortly after.

He said: “I saw a male. He went into the flat for a couple of minutes before exiting again. I then saw him throw a phone into the bushes by the flat.” He then phoned 999.

The court heard how police sergeant Wager was on duty and attended the flat in Southfields Way.

In his statement, he recalled how at about 2.42am he received a call from PC Sutton who was on guard at the rear of the flat to say she could hear noises and pointed sergeant Wager in the direction of them.

Sgt Wager said: “I saw a male hiding in the bushes and shouted ‘What are you doing”.

It was then that the sergeant demanded the male, Clive Harris, to get out of the shrubs, only to see a female, Paige Poulton, was also hiding with him.

At 2.48am he recalls shouting that they were both under arrest on suspicion of attempted murder and phoned for additional support.

As he walked away, he recalls the male shouting: “Baby I love you.”

When the sergeant asked the man’s name, he replied: “Clive bro.”

The court heard how other officers were sent directly to Maidstone Hospital with the knowledge Mr Cadwallader was being taken there in a car.

A statement from Sgt Grant explained how he saw a silver Ford Fiesta parked at an angle in the A&E entrance alongside a crowd of hospital staff who he could see were performing CPR.

Once at the hospital, he saw Matt Smith, a friend of Cadwallader and Shannon Byrne, Cadwallader’s girlfriend , as Mr Smith told the officer: “My friend has been stabbed.”

When asked who stabbed him, he said: “Paige Poulton.” The court heard.

He described Ms Byrne as being “hysterical” as he went into the hospital with her.

“He is not f***ing breathing,” she told Sgt Grant.

When asking about the events of the evening, Mr Smith told Sgt Grant: “Me and my friend went to the flat where my baby mother is.”

While Ms Byrne told the officer: “He [Cadwallader] normally hits me, she [Poulton] thought he was trying to hit me so my cousin stabbed him.”

When asked to describe the weapon she then gestured with her hand, illustrating a knife of around nine to 10 inches and explained there was a single stab wound.

The court heard how although further CPR was performed by hospital staff, at 2.53am Mr Cadwallader was declared dead and his family were informed.

In addition, PC Foster was also asked to attend the hospital and requested a statement from Ms Byrne and Mr Smith.

She told the officer how Mr Cadwallader had run in and started kicking off, adding that she thought “he was going to hit me as f***king usual”.

Meanwhile Mr Smith told the officer the weapon was “a knife that you cut an onion with”.

During the statement, it was heard how Mr Cadwallader had thought “there were fellas there” at the property in Southfields Way but Ms Byrne had said she was not with any men.

He recalled Ms Byrne saying: “I was scared he was going to hit me again.”

Ms Byrne then told the officer that Poulton had said: “I’m sick of you getting beat so I will come with you.”

Despite this, Ms Byrne did not believe Poulton would do something as Mr Cadwallader began recording the conflict.

“He was recording me and then she actually did something. He dropped to the floor,” she told PC Foster.

She then explained how she was “a bit scared of her [Poulton] herself”. “She had no fear,” Ms Byrne said.

The trial, which is expected to last up to four weeks, continues.