A KNIFEMAN who stabbed a reveller in the throat outside a busy nightclub was trying to kill him, a jury heard.

Christopher Smith is on trial after he denied the attempted murder of Preston Roberts when he was leaving Newport’s La Bamba nightspot.

Prosecutor Ieuan Bennett told Cardiff Crown Court how the defendant then used the same kitchen knife to stab the complainant’s brother Keiron Roberts in the head.

The jury were told that Smith, 23, of Mallard Way, Duffryn, Newport, has admitted wounding Preston Roberts with intent and wounding Keiron Roberts.

But he has pleaded not guilty to the more serious charges of the attempted murder of Preston Roberts, also 23, and to wounding Keiron Roberts, aged 21, with intent.

The stabbings happened in the early hours of Monday, April 2, on the city’s High Street.

Mr Bennett said Smith had launched a “revenge attack” on Preston Roberts after he mistakenly thought he was an aggressor after the defendant was assaulted by a group of other men outside the same club the night before.

The court heard that Preston Roberts had been a peacemaker and had urged Smith to go home.

The prosecutor said: “Christopher Smith for some bizarre reason wanted to wreak revenge on Preston Roberts and his friends for no reason whatsoever.”

After he was wounded, Mr Bennett said: “It was simply lucky that Preston Roberts wasn’t killed at the scene.

“It cut the jugular vein in his neck. He sustained life-threatening injuries and massive internal bleeding.

“It was astonishing that he didn’t die at the scene.”

The prosecutor said Smith had waited outside La Bamba in the pouring rain for Preston Roberts to emerge after door staff had refused him entry to the club.

He alleged that the defendant had then approached his victim and said something like: “Where are your boys? They are all having it.”

Smith then knifed him in the throat before he turned on Keiron Roberts who had only just arrived to meet his brother who was on his way to The Courtyard nightclub.

Mr Bennett added: “If you have taken a knife to the scene with revenge on your mind to hunt them down, waiting for them in the lashing rain in Newport, after you said you were prepared to take them on and their friends on, you can only intend to kill that person.”

He told the jury: “He accepts stabbing them. The issue in dispute is his state of mind and his intention.”

Proceeding.