A MAN had a knife kicked out of his hand moments before he was stabbed to death, a court heard.

Hassan Mohammed Ibrahim, 26, was in York Road, Southend, when trouble flared on July 7 last year.

It is alleged Mr Ibrahim was holding a knife when he approached twomen, Simbarashe Zemura and Darren Qainoo.

Zemura and Qainoo are jointly accused of murdering Mr Ibrahim, along with Tajwar Alam, Tahmid Alam, Vasile Iftinca and Danzel Bhebhe.

Icah Peart QC, defending Tajwar Alam, said: “Mr Ibrahim started to move toward Zemura and Qanioo. As he moved towards them, he said: ‘Are you dumb?’ and unfolded his arms to display, in his right hand, a knife.

“Zemura and Qanioo moved back with their hands back saying: ‘Sorry Hass’ and Tajwar Alam jumps and kicks the knife out of his hand.

“The knife fell to the ground and Mr Ibrahim and Tajwar went for it. Tajwar got it first and when he saw Mr Ibrahim, tackled him around the waist.

“That is the position they were in when Tajwar stabbed Mr Ibrahim in the back.”

Harry Lee, a friend of Mr Ibrahim’s who saw the incident unfold, denied Mr Ibrahim was carrying a knife.

He said: “He had no knife in his hand. He was pointing at the boy in front of him when he was stabbed.”

Mr Lee previously told the court how he sawMr Ibrahim get stabbed in the back.

CCTV footage was shown to the jury at Chelmsford Crown Court.

It showedMr Ibrahim on the floor in a doorway beforeaman known as Fat Kelly ran to the back garden of the York Road flat, allegedly to hide a knife in a bush.

Stephen Harvey QC, defending Zemura, said: “Mr Ibrahim is sat down and is turning around. Did he hand Fat Kelly a knife?

Mr Lee said: “No, he didn’t. He was in quite a lot of pain. I didn’t see Fat Kelly pick up a knife.”

Mr Ibrahim was flown to the Royal London Hospital, but died the next day.

CCTV footage showing the moments after Mr Ibrahim was stabbed have been shown to the jury at Chelmsford Crown Court.

The footage showed Mr Ibrahim and a group of friends confront a group of men, including Zemura 18, also known as Simba, 18, of Kursaal Way, Southend, and Qainoo, 19, also known as Tyson, of Holbrook Close, Enfield, over an alleged robbery.

Mr Ibrahim punched defendant Mr Zemura before he and five others returned to a friend’s flat in York Road.

At about 7pm, Mr Ibrahim went back into the street after hearing there were people outside.

He was stabbed to death.

Zemura, Qainoo, Tajwar Alam, 19, of Seaford Road, London; Vasile Iftinca, 40, of Old Southend Road, Southend; Tahmid Alam, 18, of Seaford Road, London and Danzel Bhebhe, 21, of Inverness Avenue, Westcliff, also deny murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The trial, which is expected to last six weeks, continues.