THE flatmate of an alleged killer has told a jury he feared for his own life immediately after his friend was stabbed to death.

Giving evidence, Harry Marshall said he and another man were so scared they left the scene where Luke Miller had been stabbed before paramedics arrived.

Mr Marshall’s flatmate Taylor Fenwick is alleged to have stabbed Mr Miller to death early on Boxing Day morning.

Mr Marshall told the jury he "cleared" the Tadcaster flat a few days later and threw Fenwick's shelving, furniture and other items into a tip. 

Fenwick, 22, of Commercial Street, Tadcaster, denies murder.

Mr Marshall has pleaded guilty to stealing from Fenwick’s flat in a separate case, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Asked why he and another man left the scene while Mr Miller was lying on the ground bleeding early on Boxing Day morning, Mr Marshall said: “The pair of us were in shock, slightly scared, I was scared for my life, someone I lived with and trusted had just killed someone.

"He might have turned on us as witnesses. The pair of us decided to get out of there as quickly as possible.”

He told prosecution barrister David Brooke KC he felt "upset, angry and disappointed" with Fenwick.   

In the days between Mr Miller's death and the theft, he said he was constantly thinking about what he had seen, was having flashbacks and was stressed.

About stealing Fenwick's furniture and other items, he said: “It was a few days after the incident. I clearly wasn’t thinking straight. I made a massive mistake. I have owned up to it. I regret it, that’s all I can say.” 

He said he had never been in trouble with the police before. 

Mr Marshall told the jury at Leeds Crown Court he moved into Fenwick’s flat in Commercial Street a couple of months before Mr Miller’s death.

All three had been in the same group of friends at Tadcaster Grammar School and had spent the night between Christmas Day and Boxing Day at Fenwick’s flat.

By 7am, Mr Marshall had gone to bed. He said he had not gone to sleep but was lying awake.

Mr Miller was outside in the street and Fenwick was inside.

He disagreed with a defence suggestion that Mr Miller had tried to get back into the flat.

He alleged he heard shouting, possibly screaming outside and got up to go outside.

He said he found Mr Miller bleeding on the ground and when shortly afterwards, he returned to the flat, he saw a knife on the floor in the hallway.

He then decided to leave with another man who was also present, he alleged.

As they drove off, they saw an ambulance coming over Tadcaster Bridge towards where Mr Miller was.

He told the jury he and his companion went to the McDonald's at Bilbrough Top service station before going to the parents of his companion, before returning to the scene and speaking to police.

Mr Marshall agreed with defence barrister Nicholas Johnson KC that he had never seen Fenwick angry before the night Mr Miller died.

He denied defence suggestions he had lied about seeing Fenwick near a street bin with something in his hand and denied a defence suggestion that he had put a hunting knife in the bin.

The trial continues.