A WOMAN told a murder trial last week she heard one of the three accused say he’d stabbed someone.

And the High Court in Glasgow was earlier told tragic victim Samuel Johnston cried: “Oh no, they’ve got me’, before collapsing to the ground covered in blood.

Nineteen-year-old Rachel Ward was giving evidence at the trial of Stuart McCulloch, 18, from Saltcoats, Fergal Morgan, 22, from Drumchapel, Glasgow, and Allan Carey, 19, from Ardrossan, who all deny murdering Samuel Johnston at 36 Parkend Gardens, Saltcoats, on October 26 last year.

At the High Court in Glasgow, she told advocate depute Sheena Fraser, prosecuting, that she was a girlfriend of Mr Johnston.

Miss Ward said they had broken up days before, but had “kind of made up”.

She told of how she was at a party held at friend Leona Conn’s flat in Saltcoats and there was an incident in which Mr Johnston’s brother Ross was injured on the forehead.

Minutes later she said she was standing outside in the common close chatting to Allan Carey and added: “Me and Allan were kissing at the bottom of the flats.” She was asked by Miss Fraser: “Were you not going out with Sam at this point,” and she replied: “No, not at this point.” Miss Ward went on: “We were standing and the next thing I remember is Stuart McCulloch and Fergal Morgan running down the stairs shouting “move” and ”hurry up’” She was asked who was shouting and replied: “I think it was both of them.” Miss Ward added: “Then Stuart shouted: ‘I’ve just stabbed some c***”.

She was asked: “Are you sure it was Stuart McCulloch you heard say that,” and she replied “I’m sure.” Earlier, Leona Conn who studied law at Edinburgh said: “Sam was standing at the doorway to the living room and he had been injured.

“He was bleeding profusely. He had a wound to his torso.” She told advocate depute Sheena Fraser, prosecuting, that she had invited a number of people to her flat on October 25, last year.

These included Mr Johnston and his brother Ross and the three accused.

Miss Conn said that initially, the evening had been a pleasant one.

But then Ross Johnston was injured.

She said: “I tried to get everyone to leave by grabbing and pushing, but they weren’t leaving.

"I went to ring the police because I couldn’t control the situation.

“I turned back round and Sam was injured.

"Someone was calling an ambulance and I went towards the kitchen and I noticed there was a large knife and two spots of blood on the kitchen floor just in front of the fridge.” The jury was played a 999 call in which the operator advised the caller Ross Wilson to place a clean cloth or towel over Mr Johnston’s wound to try to stem the bleeding.

In the background, shouting and screaming can be heard.

Another man told the jury that he heard Samuel say, “I’ve been stabbed” before collapsing.

Witness Michael McAtee, 19, said: “He had blood coming from his chest.” He told the court that he knelt down beside Mr Johnston and applied a towel to his wound to try to stem the flow of blood.

It is alleged that 22-year-old Mr Johnston was repeatedly punched on the head and body as well being struck on the chest with a knife or similar instrument.

The trial before judge Bill Dunlop QC continues.