Witness tells jury of seeing street fight before Shropshire worker stabbed to death

Tom Kirwan, who worked at Bridgnorth Aluminium, was fatally injured near the Uberra Club, now the Canal Club, alongside the ring road in the middle of Wolverhampton in the early hours of July 8, 2012, the city's crown court was told.

His 21-year-old brother Brooklen was removed from the club by staff at about 4.30am and an argument started with another group of men attempting to get into the club.

Witness Amy Cox told the court today: "I saw the bouncers pulling two people out of the club. I did not recognise them. The two males started fighting each other after being pushed out by the doormen.

"I turned round and was talking to my friend for a bit. When I looked back it was a street fight with everybody fighting. I was about five metres away and was a bit worried in case somebody hit me."

Miss Cox continued: "There was a guy hitting a taller guy with dark hair.

"Then he set on somebody else and the second guy fell over. Then the man who had hit him started kicking him on the floor.

"I tried to forget what happened that night. It is a big blur. I went up to a guy who was on the floor unconscious. I remember a young woman coming up and asking if the gentleman was my boyfriend or brother.

"When I said 'no' she swore and replied: 'I hope he dies.'"

CCTV captured some of the fight and clips were shown to the jury today. Mr Bennett had earlier alleged that Brooklen Kirwan was seen throwing at least one punch, getting somebody in a headlock and pushing a person into a taxi.

Shannon Samuels, Kieran Stubbs and Nathan Hanson – all aged 20 and each supposedly part of the group trying to get into the club – were also said to have been involved in the fracas.

Mr Bennett told the jury: "At the end of this incident Thomas Kirwan was stabbed at the scene. This had nothing to do with either of these three people or his brother. It happened at the tail-end of this incident and sadly he died from the injury he received as part of the stabbing."

Brooklen Kirwan accepted being involved but told police he had only used lawful violence to protect himself. Mr Bennett alleged this had been said 'to get him out of trouble.'

When later questioned by police Stubbs denied being present, Hanson could not remember whether he was there or not and Shannon declined to comment, the court was told.

However the prosecutor insisted: "All four defendants either used, threatened to use or encouraged others to use unlawful violence at such a level that anybody who witnessed what was going on would have feared for their own personal safety. They were not defending anybody. They wanted to be involved in a fight and were."

Brooklen Kirwan from Darley Drive, Dunstall Hill, Hanson of Enville Road, Warstones, Stubbs from Brantley Avenue, Finchfield and Samuels of Overton Walk, Merry Hill all deny affray.

The trial continues.