Jury told '˜sore loser' stabbed best friend after losing £20 pool game bet

Fuming Jay Shepherd, 48, boiled over into a blind rage before thrusting a knife into Lee Scattergood’s stomach and chest – leaving his pal of over three decades in a coma and needing his bowel removed, jurors at Portsmouth Crown Court were told

The defendant, who denies attempted murder and carrying a knife, exploded with fury last November after losing the match at Hayling Island pub, The West Town Inn.

‘There was a fight in the pub after the defendant lost a £20 bet over a pool game before they were ejected and made arrangements to have a fight later,’ prosecutor Thomas Wilkins said, opening the trial yesterday.

‘When Mr Shepherd returned to the pub around midnight he was armed with a knife. During the fight he stabs his victim three times — twice on the side of the chest and once in the lower belly which sliced an artery.’

Prior to the showdown, both men exchanged text messages. ‘Fancy a one on one big boy?’ The victim’s text read before Shepherd responded, ‘see you in a minute’, adding an expletive.

The alleged victim text a friend before the meet-up calling Shepherd ‘deranged’ for his behaviour.

The court heard how Shepherd fled to his home at Park Dean Caravan Park after the knifing. Officers later turned up and found two knives – one with blood on – though neither had been used in the attack. The weapon used was disposed of, Mr Wilkins said.

The prosecutor said Shepherd’s roofer friend suffered life-changing injuries and ‘could very easily have died’ especially if it was not for an eyewitness stopping the attack.

‘The victim lost considerable amount of weight after being stabbed in the belly where an artery was cut.

‘He was in an induced coma for three weeks and his lower bowel has been more or less completely removed,’ Mr Wilkins told jurors.

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Knifed pal ‘suffered three stab wounds’

THE alleged victim suffered three stab wounds in the frenzied attack, jurors were told.

Jay Shephard, 48, plunged the knife into his friend during the incident but there ‘would have been a lot more’ if a witness did not intervene, Portsmouth Crown Court was told yesterday.

Prosecutor Thomas Wilkins said: ‘There were three stab wounds but it would have been a lot more if it was wasn’t for the intervention of a witness.

‘The victim could easily have died from his catastrophic injuries.

‘‘This was not unlawful self defence with his guilt shown by him lying in police interview and hiding the weapon to escape the consequences.’

Witness Dean Hewitt, giving evidence yesterday afternoon, said he heard a ‘commotion’ when on the phone to the victim.

‘It sounded like they were fighting. There was a ruffling noise before there was silence,’ he told jurors in the courtroom.

‘By the time I got to the scene he was lying on the floor and was being treated by paramedics. He was not in a good way and looked really pale.’

Defence barrister Elisabeth Bussey-Jones told jurors Shephard acted in self-defence after the victim was ‘pummelling’ him on the floor.

Mr Wilkins yesterday opened the prosecution case at the trial, which is expected to continue for the rest of the week.

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