Bad feeling between two families ended with a man being stabbed through the heart in a Southend street, a court heard.

Malcolm Walsh died from a single knife wound after a dispute erupted between him and another family living in the road.

Mr Walsh was on his way to collect his two children from his estranged wife when he was killed last summer.

A jury at Chelmsford Crown Court heard trouble flared in Locksley Close near Bournes Green Park as soon as Mr Walsh and a friend arrived on June 10 last year.

He got involved in a row with Terrence Watkins and the prosecution alleges 54-year-old Watkins produced a knife and stabbed Mr Walsh.

He staggered back and was caught by his friend before he collapsed. An ambulance crew called to the scene was unable to revive him and he died less than an hour after the incident, the court heard.

Watkins, 54, from Locksley Close, denies murdering Mr Walsh.

Brian Higgs QC, prosecuting, told the court there was bad feeling between the Watkins family and Mr Walsh for some time before the killing.

He said: "In the weeks leading up to his death, Mr Walsh had been subjected to a great deal of vulgar abuse from Watkins' wife Lydia.

"He was frequently called a 'low life' and a 'scumbag' by that lady but it has to be said Mr Walsh was not slow in responding in kind," he added.

On the day before his death, Mr Walsh had gone to visit his children. The jury heard a group of people were seen in the street.

There was another confrontation before Mr Walsh left, the jury heard.

The next day, Mr Walsh went to Locksley Close with his friend Robert Findlay to collect the children but Mr Higgs said trouble flared again.

This time, the prosecution alleged, Watkins was seen outside his home holding a knife and was heard to shout to Mr Walsh: "Yes, you're going to get it."

Mr Higgs said: "Robert Findlay went over to where the shouting was taking place and saw the defendant moving towards Mr Walsh and he heard Mr Walsh tell the defendant to drop the knife.

"The defendant was heard to say 'you're going to get it' and was seen to thrust the knife forward towards Mr Walsh."

He added: "Mr Walsh was heard to say: "You want to get yourself a decent knife, it's blunt."

But Mr Higgs alleged the knife had struck a fatal blow and Mr Findlay helped Mr Walsh back towards their van where he collapsed dying.

The jury heard how neighbours in the cul-de-sac had witnessed the early morning incident. Mr Higgs said one neighbour saw two men throwing punches at each other but they were not connecting.

Another neighbour spoken to by detectives after the alleged murder said he saw one man holding a knife by his side which was raised when the other man approached him, the jury heard.

Watkins was arrested later and he told police there had been trouble every time Mr Walsh had come round to Locksley Close.

He also claimed Mr Walsh was known to possess a stun gun and a knife.

The trial continues

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