UNARMED Grant Byrom “stood his ground” and tried to disarm the man who would stab him through the heart just seconds later, a court heard.

Opening the prosecution case, Mr Paxton took the jury back to the events of Boxing Day 1998 and highlighted accounts given by friends and witnesses.

The court heard in a scuffle at the former Clarendon pub in Colchester Mr Byrom had accidentally injured his friend Mark Venner with a glass.

Although Mr Byrom apologised, Mr Paxton said Mr Venner was “angry and aggrieved”.

The court heard Mr Venner needed hospital treatment.

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Mr Paxton said: “The defendant, it was clear, was close to the Venner family and was, we say, angered by what had happened.”

The jury were told after leaving the pub in the late afternoon, Mr Byrom and two friends James O’Connell and Sean Methven got a taxi to a party, which was being hosted at Donnelly’s flat.

Mr Paxton said the three friends got out of the taxi and saw Mr Venner’s car parked on the drive.

He added Mr Byrom, who was known as Granny to friends, wanted to attend the party to further apologise to his injured friend.

The prosecution allege the murder then unfolded quickly over a matter of minutes.

Mr Paxton said another witness, Nathan Rock, saw Donnelly run out of the flat and “immediately start shouting”

at Mr Byrom.

He said: “It was clear the defendant was close to Mark Venner and had visited him at the hospital that afternoon.

“Whatever the thought process and motivations, the defendant’s actions were deliberate and purposeful in singling out Mr Byrom at the entrance to the flat.”

The court heard the confrontation moved away from the flat towards the road.

The jury were told Mr Byrom’s friends, Mr O’Connell and Mr Methven, were close to the incident.

Mr O’Connell described seeing “three or perhaps four” men approach Mr Byrom.

Mr Paxton said: “He noticed the main aggressor was about 5ft 7in and 40 to 45 years of age with a dark goatee beard and hair which was a bit wavy.

“This matches the description of the defendant at the time.”

He added: “Mr O’Connell will tell you the aggressive male had a knife in his right hand and was making punching and slashing motions at Mr Byrom.

“Mr Byrom was unarmed.

“Mr O’Connell saw Mr Methven try to grab the knife from the defendant but to no avail.

“As quickly as the violence started, it stopped.”

The jury was told Mr Methven saw Mr Byrom “seemed to stand his ground”, trying but failing to grab the knife.

The court heard Mr Methven saw the defendant make a number of “deliberate lunges” while stepping towards Mr Byrom, which is when the prosecution say the fatal stab was delivered.