Stabbing victim who survived Chapel Street horror describes scenes to court (From St Helens Star)

Stabbing victim who survived Chapel Street horror describes scenes to court

5:58pm Wednesday 19th September 2012 in News

A YOUNG man who nearly died after being repeatedly stabbed while trying in vain to save a young woman, re-lived his ordeal today.

Heather Dyer, 22, was knifed to death by her downstairs neighbour Paul Lyon in the incident and William Taylor suffered life-threatening injuries.

A Liverpool Crown Court jury has been told by the prosecution that there is no issue that Lyon stabbed the two victims but he is claiming that he acted in self-defence.

Andrew Menary, QC, prosecuting, has claimed that Miss Dyer was stabbed by Lyon as he was angered by her repeated noisy anti-social behaviour.

Mr Taylor, 25, told the court that he had gone out that night with his brother Andrew and a friend to celebrate Andrew's birthday. They went for a meal and went to three pubs and along the way met other young people, including Miss Dyer, whom he did not know.

It was decided the group would go to her upstairs flat in Chapel Street,St Helens and then onto Mr Taylor's home to continue partying.

After listening to music they all left after about an hour and went outside to wait for taxis. While there he saw a man he took to be a neighbour talking to Miss Dyer and it then turned into an argument.

Mr Taylor said: "It escalated really quickly after that, it was like he was attempting to throw punches at her and I went over to try and calm him down saying. 'we're going in a minute',".

“It appeared that the man, Lyon, was going to attack her and two of the group also went to intervene and it turned into a scuffle.

"He went towards her again and I jumped into the middle and he grabbed hold of me and I felt two punches.

But he told the court he had actually been stabbed and ended up in hospital for two weeks with a laceration to his liver and puncture wounds to his intestines.

He admitted that after he had realising he had been stabbed he was in shock and kicked Lyon, who was by then on the ground, in the face.

Mr Taylor then went to a neighbouring house to ask for a towel but collapsed.

Mr Menary has told the court that after he was arrested Lyon said he had swung out with the fish filleting knife after he had been pulled to the ground and was frightened of being kicked to death.

Lyon, 45, of Chapel Street, St Helens, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Miss Dyer and attempting to murder 25-year-old Mr Taylor. He also denies an alternative lesser charge of wounding Mr Taylor.

The case continues.