Preston duo on trial accused of murdering Adam Le Roi

Adam Le Roi, 25, was stabbed multiple times at Kayley House on New Hall Lane in Preston on Sunday, November 15.

Emergency services were called to the scene at around 2.20am, but despite the attempts of friends and medical staff, Mr Le Roi later died in the Royal Preston Hospital.

UCLan archaeology graduate Connor Rumble, 25, who lived on the first floor, is alleged to have stabbed Mr Le Roi, who lived on the third floor, with a six to eight inch knife.

He is accused of murder alongside fellow graduate Grant Gardner, 24, who is alleged to have kicked Mr Le Roi repeatedly as he lay on the ground, moments after the wounds were inflicted.

Both men are on trial before Preston Crown Court.

Members of Mr Le Roi's family were present as jurors were played graphic CCTV footage from near the lift in the block of flats, showing part of the incident, with Mr Le Roi, in a blue top, walking into the lift with blood seeping through his top, and bloodstains left on the wall.

He was found on the third floor by his friend Christopher Johnson, who had been with him throughout the evening.

Louise Blackwell QC, prosecuting, said it was the Crown's case the two men were "jointly engaged in an attack" on Mr Le Roi.

She described during the evening of November 14 there was an ongoing issue between Adam Le Roi and Christopher Johnson - who were at Mr Le Roi's flat with Mr Johnson's girlfriend, Jodie Latham - and Rumble and Grant, who were in Rumble's flat with three of their friends.

The duo went to Mr Rumble's flat after hearing noise and also after seeing a man running on a corrugated metal roof.

The court heard the two defendants came to the door and were "mouthy and rude", but the three other men inside flat 16 - Declan Anforth, Nathan Crozier and Thomas Dew - were polite and tried to calm the situation down.

The prosecution say they had been spending the evening in Mr Rumble's flat drinking and playing poker, but Rumble and Gardner were annoyed that the evening had been interrupted by this complaint and as a result of this the three men left in a taxi 30 minutes before the incident happened.

Ms Blackwell said: "Unusually a large part of this incident, this crucial central incident, was captured on CCTV.

"There were a number of exchanges between them but in a nutshell tempers flared on both sides."

The court was told Adam Le Roi and Christopher Johnson came to the door of flat 16 and a scuffle took place between them and Rumble and Gardner.

She added: "As that scuffle ended they left flat 16 and they went back to the lift area and they were intending to go back to their flat which was upstairs.

"As they got to the area close to the lift they were pursued there by Connor Rumble. He had a knife with him.

"And he was heard by others who were there to be saying: "I'm going to f***ing kill you. Connor Rumble then stabbed Adam Le Roi repeatedly with the knife and he was both seriously and fatally wounded

"Shortly after that stabbing had taken place, Grant Gardner, who had been on the scene a short time before, took the opportunity whilst Adam Le Roi was on the floor, to kick him repeatedly."

The court heard Mr Le Roi got in the lift to go upstairs and Mr Johnson went up by the stairs moments later and found him.

Ms Blackwell added: " He saw what he described as a pool of blood around his left eye that he had coughed up, and his right hand side. He said he thought he was dead as he was totally unresponsive."

Mr Johnson "started screaming and asking for help", and knelt by him as he called 999.

The court heard Mr Johnson's girlfriend saw Mr Le Roi's eyes rolling and blood spurting out of his mouth.

Judge Brian Cummings QC is presiding over the case, which is expected to finish next week.

(proceeding)

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