A 24-year-old drug dealer “walked home, had a beer and went to bed” after fatally stabbing a man near a Hillsborough pub, Sheffield Crown Court heard today.

Danny Trotter is accused of murdering Gavin Singleton on Walkley Lane in the early hours of September 23 last year.

The court heard how Mr Singleton, 31, was given CPR for 20 minutes, but died from his injuries in hospital almost two weeks later on October 6.

Trotter, of no fixed abode, is also accused of stabbing Mr Singleton’s best friend, Scott Fauvel, in the leg during the same incident.

Alistair MacDonald, QC, for the prosecution, told the court how after stabbing Mr Singleton and Mr Fauvel, Trotter disposed of the knife and “went to his partner’s house and went to bed”.

In the hours leading up to the attack, 29-year-old Mr Fauvel and Mr Singleton had been on a night out with friends in the Springvale pub in Commonside.

The group were planning on heading to town but stopped off at the Rawson Spring pub, so Mr Singleton could pick up some cocaine from Trotter, the prosecution alleged.

But Mr Fauvel and Mr Singleton left the pub having not paid for the drugs, and a row broke out in Walkley Lane, Mr MacDonald said.

Trotter confronted the men and there was a “heated discussion” which lead to Trotter swinging a knife to Mr Fauvel’s thigh after he tried to defend his friend, Mr MacDonald said.

During the trial, Scott Fauvel - a witness to the case - broke down when recalling the events of the night.

“Hiis manner was quite aggressive and there was a heated argument,” Mr Fauvel said.

“The defendant didn’t respond after I told him to leave. I then said to him ‘what are you going to do?’. Then he stabbed me. I was in instant shock and started going up the road.”

“At first, I thought he’d punched me. It was like a thud,” he said.

Mr Fauvel has not been back to work since the stabbing because he had been “too anxious”

As Mr Fauvel walked away, Trotter turned the knife on Mr Singleton, the court was told.

“Trotter produced a number of blows to Mr Singleton before stabbing him in the heart,” Mr MacDonald said.

Trotter initially denied the charges in a police interview after his arrest, it was heard.

Mr MacDonald told the court: “In an attempt to evade justice, he told a pack of lies.”

He branded Trotter’s actions “cynical”, as he told how the defendant walked to the bridge near the pub to dispose of the knife.

John Elvidge, QC, defending, said: “He accepts he tossed the knife over the bridge, leaving it exposed. He accepts he told lies when he was arrested.”

“On September 23, Mr Trotter was a man under considerable pressure. Gavin tried to justify why he didn’t pay for the drugs, saying, 'well you caused me to lose my job',” he added.

He told Mr Fauvel: “You were the ones who had been caught out and you personally knew Gavin had done the dirty on Mr Trotter.”

“You knew that after drink, Gavin could get himself into trouble. But you and Gavin decided to stand and fight,” he said

Trotter “admitted carrying a knife and stabbing Gavin Singleton” and pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine, Mr Elvidge said.

He denies one count of murder and one count of wounding with intent.

The trial, before Mr Justice Nicklin, continues.