A FRIEND of a Winsford man stabbed to death has described how ‘a young lad’ with a large knife was ‘like a man possessed’ and trying to stab ‘anyone in his sight’ on the night he was killed.

Keagan Crimes, 27, was stabbed to death in the town’s Cheviot Square on October 11, 2020.

A 17-year-old from Crewe, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has denied murder and is on trial at Chester Crown Court.

Proceedings resumed after the festive break, with evidence being provided to the jury by one of the victim’s friends, whose identity is protected by a court order.

He revealed Mr Crimes had been part of a large group of friends that had been out the previous evening (Saturday, October 10) celebrating a birthday of one of their group.

Returning home after several hours drinking in pubs in and around Winsford, the witness then found a window in his downstairs toilet had been smashed by two unknown males at around 6.30am the next morning, while he was in bed with his partner.

Having informed his friends about the smashed window, half an hour later, several of the group returned to the property and conducted an unsuccessful search of the area for the perpetrators.

Then after another day of drinking, the group visited the nearby Premier Store in Cheviot Square shortly before 10pm where they heard shouting coming from area around the shops.

He said: “I could hear shouting.

“I left the flat and as I got around the corner, I saw one of my mates jumping over a fence at the back of the shops saying “they’re trying to f***ing stab us”.

“As I got to the front of the shop, I saw a young lad with a knife trying to swing at people.

“He was trying to stab everyone in his sight, like a man possessed, trying to kill anyone.”

Mr Crimes’ friend added the person with the knife ran into a nearby kebab shop as other members of the group tried to ‘kick the door in’ to get at him.

“I shouted to him who had sent you, why have you stabbed him,” he added.

“He shouted back to me that he was only 15, and something or other about being from Bootle.”

Having made several attempts to slash at those trying to force open the kebab shop door, the knifeman managed to make his escape and flee the scene.

Meanwhile, Mr Crimes was left lying prone on the ground, with two other people left with stab wounds.

Defence barrister Michael Hayton put it to the witness Mr Crimes and his group had gone to the area that night to help two other friends they knew who had been threatened with knives, but he denied this.

He said: “That lad went out to kill someone that night.”

The trial continues.