A man was “stabbed” in the arm and lower back after punching a teenager who he saw “pulling his girlfriend’s hair”, a court heard.

Cain Richards, 20, of Stephenson Avenue, Tilbury, is standing trial accused of grievous bodily harm, common assault and possession of a bladed article.

He denies all the charges brought against him.

Standing in the dock at Basildon Crown Court today giving evidence was the man who claims to have been stabbed by Richards.

The victim, who has requested to remain anonymous, told the court how he had attended a party in Melba Gardens, Tilbury, on Saturday, October 7, 2017, along with his friend, Aaron Gill, and his girlfriend.

Also in attendance at this party was the defendant, Richards.

As the evening progressed, the court heard how tensions grew high between Richards and Mr Gill.

The victim said: “Aaron and Cain were having an argument and squaring up to each other. I told Cain to leave Aaron alone.”

The argument defused temporarily, but, later, the victim said he noticed Mr Gill being chased by Richards.

The victim continued: “I saw two boys running after my best mate, so I ran after them.”

The court heard that the men ended up in an alleyway where Richards grabbed victim and swore at him, telling him to leave.

The victim then called his mother and told the jury that he had every intention of going home.

But, he heard screaming and said that he discovered Richards in an altercation with his girlfriend who he claimed was “pulling her hair and trying to knee her.”

The victim said: “I then walked to the end of Leighton Gardens when I saw Tia get assaulted. I head her screaming ‘get off me.’

“So I went over an punched Cain Richards with my right hand on his mouth.

“I then tried to hit him in the jaw but I missed. To be honest, he is a fast boy; one minute he was in front of me, the next minute behind me.”

The victim showed scars on his arm and on his lower back to the jury which he claims are stabbed wounds made by Richards in this altercation.

Although, he also told the court that he did not see the knife during the altercation and he only realised he had been injured when he “looked down and saw his arm gushing out blood.”

The victim admitted to the court that he was drunk that evening, having consumed half a litre of vodka, 250ml of brandy, five shots of ‘Cool Mix’ and a bottle of Smirnoff Ice.

In cross-examination, Richards’s defence lawyer, Claire Dowse, suggested that victim's memory had been affected by his heavy drinking.

Rejecting this suggestion, the victim said: “Don’t tell me about my memory, I know what I remember.

“I didn’t see the knife, but my girlfriend did. He stabbed me – you don’t have to see a knife.”

The trial continues.