JORDAN Taylor was stabbed four times with a hunting knife 'designed to do maximum damage' and died from massive blood loss on the streets of Trowbridge, a court heard today.

Hayden Maslen, 19, appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Monday charged with murdering the 25-year-old from Hilperton, as well as injuring Mr Taylor's friend Neil Vaughan in the early hours of March 12.

Maslen, of Trowbridge, pleaded not guilty to murder, manslaughter, wounding with intent and unlawful wounding but admitted to having a bladed article on him at the time.

Prosecutor Anna Vigars told the jury that Mr Taylor and Mr Vaughan had been drinking together in the Black Horse pub, Frome Road, before setting off in the latter's car to try and buy some drugs. 

At around 1.20am, Maslen left his friend's house, where he had been smoking cannabis, watching TV and playing music, to go home for the night.

When Mr Vaughan was driving down the road around the Timbrell Street and Prospect Place area, Mr Taylor signalled for him to stop the car as he saw Maslen was coming towards the block of flats there.

Mr Taylor got out of the car with a can of aerosol and attacked Maslen with it. 

In the ensuing scuffle, Maslen pulled out what he later described as a ballistic knife that was designed to do maximum damage and stabbed Mr Taylor four times - twice in the front, twice in the back. 

Mr Vaughan, who also got involved after parking the car, was also stabbed, receiving minor injuries.  

After driving to Trowbridge Community Hospital, which was closed, Mr Vaughan found his friend was unconscious.

Mr Vaughan called 999 but despite the best efforts of paramedic Edward Valentine, who opened up Mr Taylor's chest to look for heart damage and carried out CPR, he died at 2.44am. 

In the post mortem Dr Russell Delaney said the depth of the wounds were between 9.5 and 13.5cms deep, puncturing his abdominal aorta, which then led to his death.

Not long afterwards, Maslen was spotted on CCTV being picked up by his mother on the junction of Timbrell Street and Union Street, before being driven home.

Five days later, Maslen came forward to the police, with the knife, saying he used it to protect himself and for self-defence. 

The case continues tomorrow.