Man recalls moment that friend died trying to save him.

Witness says party-goers tried to reason with stranger who accused them of spying on him

Two party-goers hid behind a wall in a Dundee stairwell trying to reason with a “pure wasted” man who was firing arrows at them shortly before one of them was killed, a court heard yesterday.

Jason Sinclair recalled the moment his friend Gordon Diduca was stabbed to death after he tried to rush their assailant and wrestle the weapon from his grip.

Mr Sinclair, 22, described a scene of chaos as he gave evidence in the trial of Charles Little at the High Court in Glasgow.

Little, 32, denies firing arrows from a bow at Mr Diduca and others at Dundonald Court in the early hours of September 25 2017, before striking Mr Diduca with a knife and killing him.

The court heard a group of friends had been drinking, taking cocaine and listening to music in a ground floor flat at the address for more than 10 hours, when one of them announced that a neighbour was outside the door with a bow and arrow.

Mr Sinclair said: “At first I didn’t believe it.

“I went to the door and opened it, and he (Little) was standing there. There were lots of holes in the door where he’d been stabbing it.

“I slammed the door shut and held it, and he was still trying to come in. Then I heard him and Gordon arguing in the close – I hadn’t seen him go out that door.

“I went out and saw Gordon standing at Charles’ door and he (Little) was standing with an arrow pointing at Gordon, saying he was away to shoot him.

“He was speaking proper nonsense, saying we had been spying on him. He said it was our fault he had lost his girlfriend and his job.

“I’d never met the boy in my life, and me and Gordon were both trying to tell him that. Me and Gordon were hiding behind the walls in the closie and he kept firing arrows. Gordon was telling him to calm down.

“Whatever Gordon was telling him, he wasn’t taking it in. He looked pure wasted, like he was on drugs.”

The court heard Mr Diduca then rushed to the accused and tried to wrestle the bow from him, but was stabbed in the neck with a knife.

Mr Sinclair added: “I tried to help Gordon. I put my arm around him and I was stabbed as well, in the arm.

“I punched Charles in the face and he was just going mental, screaming, shouting.

“I let go of Gordon and he fell to the floor. He was gone.”

Mr Diduca died from stab wounds in hospital later.

Little, of Dundonald Court, denies a total of five charges including murder, assault, threatening or abusive behaviour and assault to injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment, as well as possession of a class B controlled substance.

The trial, presided over by Lord Matthews, continues.

Gordon Diduca died from stab wounds in hospital.