A HITCHIN man died from a stab wound to the heart after a confrontation on a housing estate in the town, a murder trial jury heard yesterday (Monday).

Michael Chalkley, 25, died in April of last year after being attacked near his home in Bingen Road, Hitchin.

Sean Flattery, 21, of Seebohm Close, and Kyle Holloway, 23, of Wilshere Crescent, both from Hitchin, appeared at Luton Crown Court and denied murder.

Flattery, Holloway, Raymond Small, 21, of Pix Road, Letchworth GC and Richmond Nkhoma, 21, of Roxley Court, Willian, are all charged with violent disorder relating to the same incident. They have pleaded not guilty.

Flattery pleaded guilty to possessing a knife at the scene, at the junction of Bingen Road, Mattock Road and John Barker Place.

Ben Gumpert, prosecuting, said Flattery and Mr Chalkley were known to each other as near neighbours and there may have been some previous antagonism between them.

They also had both been drinking on the night of the confrontation.

Mr Chalkley, known to many by his nickname of ‘Young Buzzer’, was with a friend walking to the other man’s flat with some drink they had bought.

“There was an exchange with Flattery which turned into an argument and a fight developed,” said Mr Gumpert.

“The other three defendants became involved so it was not a fair fight with four on one side and one on the other. Mr Chalkley’s friend did not get involved.

“Then Sean Flattery produced a knife and stabbed him several times.

“Having backed off, he then returned to the place where the victim was lying on the pavement and stabbed him again and Mr Chalkley’s friend thought he was trying to cut his throat, but it seems that second attack caused an injury to his eye.”

Mr Gumpert told the jury that it was not the prosecution’s case that any of the others were armed or knew that Flattery was carrying a knife. When the knife was produced, Small and Nkhoma fled the scene.

The jury heard that Flattery claimed to have been attacked by the victim in the past with a knife and a machete and he was scared and reacted in self defence.

Holloway denied stabbing or assaulting the victim.

Mr Gumpert said: “The Crown say there was not any excuse for Flattery to produce and use a lethal weapon and cause five injuries in two separate episodes.

“Holloway did not use a weapon and may not have known that Flattery had one, but what is clear is that he was in his company when he produced that knife and started to stab him and he stayed and supported him.”

The case continues.