A PEDESTRIAN was stabbed in the chest after his attacker screamed “I’m going to kill you” as he walked past him, a court heard.

Allan Lindsay is alleged to have tried to cause the victim serious harm during the attack in Southend, in which the blade narrowly missed his heart.

The 56-year-old of Marine Parade, Southend, was sitting on a bench near the junction of Victoria Avenue and Queensway in the town on May 2 last year before the attack.

It’s alleged that after first hurling abuse at the man as he walked past him, Lindsay threatened to kill him before drawing the knife.

Lindsay admits possessing the knife on the day and unlawful wounding, but denies intending to cause the victim grievous bodily harm and threatening to kill him.

Prosecuting at Lindsay’s trial at Basildon Crown Court, Karl Volz told the jury: “He shouts something abusive towards him, and the victim takes exception to that.

“The defendant produces a knife and says ‘I am going to kill you’.

“Those are important words in relation to the intention to go on to do what he does.

“The victim tells him to get stuffed - to f*** off in effect - at this stage he reaches into his clothing, brings out the knife and stabs him in the lower left side of the chest.”

Mr Volz said the victim called the police and at that stage Lindsay allegedly said “just go and die” before walking off.

The court heard police arrived within minutes and Lindsay was arrested at the scene.

The jury was told that Lindsay had said to officers the victim had been following him and that he attacked him in self-defence.

The jury heard Lindsay lives with mental health problems, but a doctor has said he would be capable of forming the intent to cause serious harm.

He added: “The prosecution’s case is that he has plead guilty to unlawful wounding but we say it was more, we say he intended to cause him serious bodily harm.

“We say stabbing someone in the stomach around the left hand side, the location of the injury is important, it’s very close potentially to a vital organ.

“There is also the manner of what he did and what said at the time, ‘die, I’m going to kill you’, and ‘just go and die’ - we say that’s important to intent as well.

The trial continues.