Teenager 'stabbed to death in street fight'

Tommy Bilton

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THE trial into the death of a young man who died after being stabbed days after his 19th birthday last August is now under way.

Matthew Paul Stubbs (also known as Matthew Gregory), of Horsedge Street, Oldham, has been charged with murder, wounding with intent and violent disorder.

In his opening statement for the prosecution at Manchester Crown Court, Simon Medland QC gave a summary of events that led to the stabbing of Tommy Bilton, of Elm Road, Limeside, and that of another young man, Simon Dalton, in Ashton Road, Oldham, on August 15, 2015.

The court heard Tommy died at the Royal Oldham Hospital from internal bleeding after being stabbed in the groin while Mr Dalton was stabbed near his kidneys but survived.

Mr Medland told the jury yesterday that the two stabbing victims and the defendant were at a house party on Friday night with friends and relatives at Stott House on the Eldon Street Estate in Ashton Road. A fight subsequently broke out in the street in the early hours of Saturday.

Tommy was stabbed first ­- the wound was about 7in deep. Mr Dalton was knocked to the ground then stabbed in the back.

Police were then called shortly before 4am and the young men were taken to hospital.

Stubbs had already fled the scene and was found two days later, hiding in a wooded area in Newcastle, the court heard.

He admits causing injury to Dalton but alleges that it was an accident and not intentional.

Mr Medland said: "When this defendant struck that single blow at Mr Bilton he must have intended at the very least that Mr Bilton would sustain a really serious injury.

"That was practically what Mr Bilton did sustain and died from that injury, effectively bleeding inside himself. He stabbed Simon Dalton, another young man.

"Luckily Mr Dalton's injury proved less serious. Nonetheless this other man was stabbed in the back near the kidney area.

"This defendant admits causing that injury to Simon Dalton. He admits to using the knife.

"His account, that it was more or less an accident while he was trying to detain Simon Dalton, is simply not accepted by the prosecution. We submit that it does not stand up to scrutiny."

Proceeding