A WOMAN stabbed a young dad to death over a £5 debt, a court was told.

Kathryn Taylor, 33, of Gaywood, Laindon, is on trial accused of murdering Ricky Wyatt outside a block of flats last September.

Co-defendant Matthew Boulton, 30, of Victoria Avenue, Southend, is charged with assisting an offender, by allegedly helping her to evade police when he knew she had stabbed Mr Wyatt.

Basildon Crown Court was told Mr Wyatt, who regularly used heroin and crack cocaine, was with friends when he received a phone call from Taylor threatening to "rip his neck off" unless he repaid her £5.

Father-of-one Mr Wyatt, 34, formerly of Royal Court, Laindon, promised he would get the money and borrowed it from a friend, Layla Wharrad.

The court was told he received a second call from Taylor and arranged to meet her so he could give her back the money.

John Caudle, prosecuting, said Mr Wyatt met Taylor and Boulton outside a block of flats in Little Lullaway, Laindon, where it is alleged a number of witnesses saw her kill the victim.

He said one witness heard a woman shouting and, when she looked out of her window, she saw her with a knife. He added: "She was showing her teeth like a dog."

It is alleged Taylor grabbed Mr Wyatt and was swearing and screaming at him before stabbing him.

Mr Caudle said: "Taylor struck the deceased on the head and grabbed hold of his top, bending him backwards over the bonnet of the car.

"Taylor was holding the deceased by the throat. She then struck the deceased in the face while still holding him around the throat.

"At one stage she had the knife in her hand, pointing downwards towards the deceased."

Mr Caudle said Boulton was holding Mr Wyatt by his upper arm and Taylor was then seen to stab the victim in the stomach, until only the knife handle was showing, while shouting: "Die!"

The two defendants are then accused of leaving the scene in a blue Ford Fiesta.

The first witness, Layla Wharrad, 22, who was with Mr Wyatt when he allegedly received the threatening phone calls from Taylor, claimed he was frightened after speaking to her.

Miss Wharrad said she was waiting for her friend to return from giving Taylor the money, when she noticed a flurry of police cars. She arrived at the scene to see an ambulance pulling away.

Taylor and Boulton deny the charges.

The trial continues.