A Dunmow man told a court today (May 12) of an alleged attack involving another man in which he claims he was stabbed twice in separate incidents 20 minutes apart.

Ryan Scott, who was 18 at the time of the alleged incidents in Dunmow, said the first blow to his leg felt like a “wasp sting”, but the second left him covered in blood and requiring six stitches.

He was giving evidence at Chelmsford Crown Court in the trial of Reece Pridmore, 21, of Elwood, Harlow, who has pleaded not guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, wounding with intent and having a bladed article in July last year.

Mr Scott was taken to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford after the second incident, and was then off work for six weeks, the court heard.

He said he and Mr Pridmore had met twice in the street after he had been in contact with Mr Pridmore’s girlfriend, who he had known from his schooldays.

Mr Scott told the jury he had never been “boyfriend-girlfriend” with the girl, but had been in contact with her on Facebook, and the pair had said they would meet up without arranging a date.

Mr Scott said that Mr Pridmore contacted him by phone on July 31 and they arranged to meet up, and when they did Mr Pridmore accused him of “messing with my girlfriend” and pulled out a knife.

After the first blow to his leg, which he said “felt like a wasp sting”, Mr Scott said he drove to a friend’s house, but received another call from Mr Pridmore and the pair met up again at Upper Mill Fields 20 minutes later.

He said they began “shouting and swearing,” and he was then stabbed in the back.

Mr Scott said: “I felt a warm sensation in my back and could see a lot of blood. It went all down my body and onto the floor. It was on my jumper, shorts, socks and trainers.

“I felt shocked and said, ‘you stabbed me, you stabbed me.’ I started to move back to my car because I was losing so much blood I needed help. I was scared.

“I saw a guy who helped me. He took me to his front garden - I was still standing - and laid me down. I felt faint and cold. I was bleeding a lot. An ambulance came.”

Stephen Mather, prosecuting, said: “The issue is how those injuries were caused. There is no dispute the two met, Mr Scott was admitted to hospital and was treated there.”

The trial continues