CCTV shows two women and a man entering a club hours before they allegedly killed a rugby player in a “knife rampage”, a court heard.
Jake Hill, 25, Tia Taylor, 22, and Chelsea Powell, 22, are accused of murdering Michael Allen, 32, at the Eclipse nightclub in Bodmin, Cornwall.
Jake Hill and Chelsea Powell can be seen entering the nightclubSWNS
Tia Taylor also enters Eclipse hours before the horrorSWNS
PAMichael Allen was stabbed to death as violence erupted outside[/caption]
In CCTV images shown to jurors, the trio can be seen entering the venue on April 30, 2023.
Just hours later, Michael was seen collapsing to the ground after being stabbed in the abdomen.
Five others were also injured as Hill allegedly used a serrated hunting knife to “slash and stab” at revellers in a matter of seconds.
Truro Crown Court heard a disturbance had broken out in the street after the club closed.
Hill allegedly grabbed the knife from a nearby hedge where he had stashed it prior to entering to the venue.
Liam Phillips, Ryan Burger, Rhiannon Tompsett and Stefan Williams were all stabbed during the horror, it was said.
A sixth person, Ryan Parsons, was stabbed in the head as the three defendants allegedly fled the scene.
Mark Cotter KC, prosecuting, said it was not possible to determine the order in which the victims were attacked.
He also told jurors Michael had attempted to stop the brawl when he was fatally knifed.
The prosecutor added: “That initial burst of knife violence culminated in a struggle that took place between Jake Hill and Michael Riddiough-Allen.
“Mr Riddiough-Allen had become embroiled in the disorder as someone who was trying to separate the parties.
“He was unarmed and he confronted and struggled with Jake Hill and was, we say, simultaneously assaulted by Tia Taylor and Chelsea Powell.
“During that encounter Michael Riddiough-Allen was stabbed by Jake Hill in the abdomen.”
The court was told Michael suffered a 12.5cm wound that sliced through his stomach muscles – damaging his intestines.
The popular rugby player collapsed after suffering “rapid internal blood loss” and was declared dead at the scene.
Mr Cotter said Hill was described as being on a “knife rampage”, while Powell and Taylor “voluntarily inserted themselves into a violent environment”.
All three defendants are accused of murder under joint enterprise.
Hill denies a total of 12 charges, including one count of murder, an alternative of manslaughter, three counts of attempted murder, an alternative of wounding with intent, and two charges of wounding with intent and the alternative of unlawful wounding.
Taylor and Powell deny three charges – one count of murder and the alternative of manslaughter, and one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The trial continues.
Hill allegedly stashed a knife in a bush outsideSWNS Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
