Thomas Dures on trial at Preston accused of murdering Matthew Daulby in violent clash in Ormskirk
A 19-year-old was fatally wounded during a "brief but brutal" clash between two rival groups in a Lancashire town centre, a court was told.
Teenager Matthew Daulby was stabbed in the melee in Ormskirk and later died in hospital.
Thomas Dures, aged 21, of Whalley Drive, Aughton, is on trial at Preston Crown Court accused of murdering Matthew, of Lydiate, near Maghull.
He denies the offence.
Dures also denies violent disorder, causing grievous bodily harm to a second man, and unlawfully wounding a third.
Preston Crown Court was told that the tragic case involved a "violent, fast-moving incident" between two rival groups in Ormskirk town centre in July 2023.
Peter Glenser KC , prosecuting, said the events happened on July 28 into July 29. The two groups of people were known to each other and it sadly resulted in the death of Matthew Daulby. He suffered a wound to the centre of his chest and other injuries.
Mr Glenser said it was the Crown's case that Dures struck the fatal blow.
Some of the people involved in the "brief but brutal" fight just after midnight on July 29 had knives.
Mr Glenser said Matthew Daulby was out socialising with friends in Maghull while a friend was out in Ormskirk.
Dures was also out in Ormskirk with friends and confronted the male, who was on crutches. Dures punched the man in the face.
The man sent a phone message to a group including Matthew Daulby and they agreed to go to Ormskirk to retaliate to the attack.
Mr Glenser said CCTV footage showed the Maghull group on Railway Road and Dures and a friend emerging from an alleyway. One man had a sock with a stone in the bottom of it.
Matthew Daulby could be seen clutching his chest and his head after the clash. Police arrived on the scene quickly and Matthew collapsed.
Mr Glenser said Dures accepted that he was there and in possession of a knife.
After the incident he fled from the scene and 18 months later gave himself up after walking into a police station in Greece.
The trial before Recorder of Preston Judge Robert Altham is expected to last up to three weeks.
(Proceeding)