Murder victim told girlfriend he loved her moments before being fatally stabbed

Aleya Fletcher said it was like her boyfriend Paulius Petrasiunas, 25, knew he was "going to get into a fight" on July 13 last year, jurors were told.

Stafford Crown Court previously heard Mr Petrasiunas died "within seconds" after he was stabbed in the chest by Sean Bulle, who denies murder.

Miss Fletcher said her boyfriend had left with Bulle, known as Switch, after the victim took a call once inside Flat 64 at Chervil Rise in Heath Town.

The witness said she knew "something was wrong" when her boyfriend returned to the flat because he seemed "stressed out" as he entered the living room, a judge heard.

Miss Fletcher, who spoke from behind a screen, said she remembered him "hugging me and telling me he loved me" and she heard Bulle, who was standing in the hallway, say "come" to him, jurors were told.

The witness said Mr Petrasiunas made sure the door was closed to the living room as he went into a hallway and then said "if you're going to stab me, stab me then, innit", the court was told.

Miss Fletcher, who was questioned by prosecutor Timothy Hannam QC, said she was "taken aback" by her boyfriend's words and "scared" and didn't want to open the door, a judge heard.

She told jurors she then heard a "scuffle" after the words were uttered, deep breaths and "something go up against the wall" and when she opened the door she saw blood on the wall.

Stafford Crown Court heard that Mr Petrasiunas "was gone" and Bulle, of Clover Ley, Heath Town, was as well, as the victim's girlfriend touched the blood – not thinking it was real – before shouting 'no' out loud.

Miss Fletcher discovered her boyfriend outside "slumped" over and bleeding and she recalled "screaming and screaming" as she tried to speak to him, heading inside at one point to get a kitchen towel because she "didn't know what to do" ahead of police and paramedics arriving.

The witness told jurors she, her boyfriend and two women – who were in the flat when the incident happened – had encountered Bulle, 20, at a friend's flat on Lincoln Street, where Mr Petrasiunas and her had been staying overnight.

Miss Fletcher said Bulle seemed as if a "lot was on his mind" and he, along with the others of the group, later left and briefly visited Mr Petrasiunas' mother's flat. They later headed over to Flat 64 at Chervil Rise – a friend's flat and a place the couple could get their hair done, jurors heard.

The witness, when questioned by Nicholas Corsellis QC, defending Bulle, said she and her boyfriend had been drinking "throughout the night" at the flat on Lincoln Street and were "probably still quite drunk" the next morning.

Mr Corsellis QC said a toxicology report had shown Mr Petrasiunas had taken cocaine and cannabis and there was a "little bit of alcohol" in his system but nothing which could've caused him to become intoxicated, a judge heard.

The defence barrister said the stabbing incident took place more than five minutes after Bulle and the victim had returned to the flat, in contrast to Miss Fletcher saying it happened "so quick", to which the witness replied with: "It could've been".

Mr Corsellis QC, cross-examining the witness, suggested that "at no stage" had there been any argument or problem between the pair prior to the incident, as had been put forward, and the only problem was when the incident happened, a judge heard.

Bulle, 20, of Clover Ley, Heath Town, denies murder. The trial continues.