A MAN was stabbed in the heart following a row with his girlfriend during a New Years Eve party in front of six horrified children, a court heard.

Paul Fletcher known as “Dod”, 31, was killed at a home in Worcester Drive, Rayleigh in the early hours of January 1 this year.

Hannah Sindrey, 23, of Worcester Driver, Rayleigh and Kelly Blackwell, 25, of Southernhay, Basildon, are standing trial at Basildon Crown Court accused of murdering the man.

Police were called to an address shortly before 1am and discovered that a man was unresponsive alongside the women and their children.

Opening the case yesterday, prosecuting barrister Christine Agnew said: “On December 31 a group of four adults and six small children gathered for a party. Tragically Paul Fletcher lived to just see in the new year.

“He was stabbed and these women intended to kill him or cause him really serious harm. At the time in the home was Mr Fletcher, his girlfriend Hannah Sindrey, her friend Kelly Blackwell and another friend, Paul Carter.

“Mr Carter will describe how Mr Fletcher had taken cocaine and became paranoid about his girlfriend hiding something from him.

“He took the women’s phones which seem to enrage them and Kelly Blackwell was waving a knife around.

“The cause of death was a stab wound to the chest and into the heart and it measured about 10.2cm in depth.

“Both women deny responsibility and blame the other.”

She told the court Mr Fletcher and Sindrey had a volatile relationship and Mr Carter had tried to defuse the situation.

The children were screaming and hysterical and were taken in by a neighbour, she added.

The jury at Basildon Crown Court heard Mr Fletcher had been released from prison in October before starting the relationship.

Christine Agnew added: “One witness said he saw Kelly Blackwell crawling up stairs covered in blood screaming ‘my babies.’ “The first police on the scene found Mr Fletcher on the floor with his eyes rolled back with a chest wound. The scene was chaotic and both women were kneeling by his side and the six children were still in the flat.”

The trial continues