A WOMAN told how she watched from her bedroom window as a gang of youths chased a lorry driver down the street and stabbed him to death.

Chantelle Davis, 22, who lives in Pevensey Close, Pitsea, was on the phone to her mum at about 9pm on October 20 last year when she heard "screaming and shouting" from Caister Drive, which her home looks out on.

When she looked outside, she saw five people chasing one man, who had long blonde hair in a ponytail, believed to be Darren Kelly, 42.

Within minutes, the gang had blocked him in and punched him to the floor before they launched an onslaught of hits and kicks.

While he was laying on the ground he was stabbed six times, including twice in his lung, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Giving evidence at the murder trial yesterday, Miss Davis said: "I could see five people chasing and one person being chased.

"When I first looked outside, the chase was still going on and then they jumped at him. They blocked him in by the van and the car.

"The victim was standing at that point, but he curled over when he was hit by the man in the grey jogging bottoms. He was bent over with his hand to his waist.

"The man in the grey joggers hit him again quite hard and then he fell to the floor.

"He hit him in the stomach section about two or three times and then they all started punching and kicking him while he was on the floor.

"I thought it was just a normal fight, it happens a lot around our area."

Chris Carroll, 20, of Pevensey Close, Pitsea, along with two 17-year-old boys and a 16-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are accused of murdering the dad-of-one.

They all deny the charge.

Mr Kelly, 42, of Voysey Gardens, Pitsea, died from his stab wounds at Basildon Hospital hours after the attack.

Describing the stabbing, Miss Davis said: "The man in the grey joggers said 'Leave it to me, I'll deal with him' and then he made a fast motion with his right arm at waist level. It was a stabbing motion but I didn't see a knife.

"I saw the stabbing motion about two or three times."

Following the attack, the group walked away.

Miss Davis added: "The victim stumbled over to the houses. He was at the front ringing the buzzer.

"All I heard was 'I've been stabbed, help me'. I couldn't see any blood but he seemed pretty distressed.

"I was about to get off the phone to ring for an ambulance when a lady came out and said she was ringing. She was hysterical."

Prosecutor Crispin Aylett claims the gang had organised to ambush Mr Kelly, who had used the internet to meet women for sex, because they believed he was a paedophile.

He told the court there was absolutely no evidence to suggest Mr Kelly was interested in underage girls.

The four-week trial continues.