A friend of a dad-of-two who died from a stab wound to his thigh inflicted in the early hours of New Year’s Day, has told how the trouble started.

John-Paul Smith said he, David Young, his brother Aaron, partner Kirsty Bryant, Ben Wilkins and his girlfriend Amy Isham were all walking home from the Casino Rooms in Rochester after celebrating the new year.

Mr Smith, 26, said in a police interview later that day he was “quite drunk” when they left but had sobered up a bit by the time they reached Windmill Road, Gillingham, where the incident happened.

Mr Smith said they saw two youths - Stuart Porter, 18, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons - with their girlfriends.

The two girls rushed up to Miss Bryant, he said, and hit her in the face and pulled her hair as she tried to defend herself.

One of the teenagers then punched him in the face. Mr Smith said he hit him back.

The other youth was “giving it large” in an aggressive way. He struck Mr Smith on the back of the head.

“I fell to the floor and he kicked me to the forehead,” he continued. “In self-defence, I hit him back.”

Aaron Young tried to get the teenager off Mr Smith.

“I was aware David was lying on the pavement, hanging off the kerb,” he said. “I went over to him. Blood was coming out of his stomach. He was semi-conscious.

“I phoned for an ambulance, but as we were close to the hospital myself and Aaron started carrying him to the entrance. I gave him a fireman’s lift.

“He was losing too much blood. I put him on the floor. We got to A&E. I was examined too. I was told I had been stabbed on the left side of my chest.

“The medical staff told me it was 2cm from my heart. Any closer, I would have died. It must have been when the two males were attacking me. My finger was broken.”

“The medical staff told me it (a stab wound) was 2cm from my heart. Any closer, I would have died" - John-Paul Smith

The wound to the left thigh of David Young, 28, of Beatty Avenue, Gillingham, severed an artery and he died four days later.

A filmed interview showing Mr Smith in great distress three days after the death of his friend was watched by the jury.

Mr Smith, who watched the interview from the witness box, frequently broke down and became impatient over detailed questioning.

The officer told him at the start of the interview: “I can see you are really upset and traumatised.”

Porter, of Buttermere Close, Gillingham, and the 17-year-old, of Strood, deny murdering Mr Young and wounding Mr Smith with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The trial continues.