A RESIDENT died within minutes of being stabbed in the heart during a drunken row at a Haslingden caravan park, a court was told.

A jury at Preston Crown Court heard that Brian Jeffers, who was known as Jip, died after his friend lashed out with a knife.

But it was next morning before James McGrady, 48, made a 999 call saying he had just murdered someone, the court heard.

McGrady of the Holden Mill Caravan Site, Grane Road, Haslingden, denies murdering Brian Jeffers, who also lived on the site, on June 25 last year.

Paul Reid QC, prosecuting, told the jury it was 7.29am when McGrady made the 999 call from a telephone box in Haslingden.

He said McGrady said he would stay on a bench near the phone box until police arrived.

McGrady was cautioned and said the two men had got into an argument and he had stabbed Brian Jeffers four or five times. At 8am the body of Mr Jeffers was found in caravan number 48 and it had been there for some time, the court was told.

A post mortem examination revealed eight wounds caused by six separate blows. Three had penetrated the heart, liver and spleen and the wound to the heart would have led to death within minutes of being inflicted, the court was told.

Both men had been drinking and Mr Jeffers had consumed alcohol equivalent to four times the legal drink drive limit, the court heard.

Mr Reid said Mr Jeffers was 5ft 2 inches tall and weighed eight and a half stone. He added that the two men had a volatile relationship, spending much of their time in drink and recrimination.

They regularly fought and by early June the bickering was almost daily, he said. On June 24, there was a fight during which McGrady grabbed Mr Jeffers by the scruff of the neck and threw him to the ground, Mr Reid said.

He then stood on his head with one foot and backheeled him in the eye with the other, the court was told.

Later that day, McGrady went to another caravan, pulled a knife from his waistband and said he had killed Mr Jeffers, but he was not believed and it was thought they were drunken ramblings, Mr Reid told the jury.

McGrady told police they had been drinking and in the middle of an argument Mr Jeffers had come at him with a vodka bottle, the court was told

The jury heard that Mcgrady told police: "I just lifted the knife and lashed out and, basically, that was it."

He said he had gone out for a walk leaving Mr Jeffers apparently alive and he had not called an ambulance because he did not think it was that bad.

He said he passed out through drink and when he went back to the caravan the following morning he realised he was dead and called the police, the court heard.

McGrady said: "It was just an argument that got out of hand," the court heard.

McGrady told police it had been the first time he had 'lost his rag' and he had wanted to give Mr Jeffers a fright, the court heard.

Mr Reid said the knife was thrown into a river and later recovered by police.

(Proceeding)