THE friend of a man “stabbed over a drugs deal” said he was left “frantic” with fear.

Colby Broderick testified in the witness box over witnessing the fatal stabbing of Abdul Deghayes in Elm Grove, Brighton.

He told jurors he saw defendant Daniel Macleod, 36, standing over Mr Deghayes, 22, and hitting him.

Mr Broderick had gone with Mr Deghayes to buy drugs from a dealer known as “Frank”, who the prosecution at Hove Crown Court say is Mr Macleod.

Meanwhile he reported being told to “keep your mouth shut” by second defendant Stephen Burns, 55, who is accused of assisting Mr Macleod.

Mr Deghayes suffered eight stab wounds outside Hanover Court in February this year, and died in hospital several hours later.

He collapsed in a car being driven by Mr Broderick who was attempting to take his dying friend to hospital.

Adam Feest QC, prosecuting, previously told jurors that Mr Deghayes had slumped over Mr Broderick in the car, causing a crash.

The vehicle was left “flooded with blood”.

In calls made to the police, Mr Broderick said: “He must have been stabbed, there was blood all over the car where he grabbed me and cuddled me.

“It freaked me out, it made me sick, I was in hysterics crying because there was so much blood.”

In the witness box, Mr Broderick was quizzed by Mr Feest about the incident, and why he had told initially not told police about it being a row over drugs.

Mr Broderick, giving evidence from behind a screen, had claimed in 999 calls he had not witnessed the incident and claimed Mr Deghayes was there to buy a car.

He had “screamed” for help and then ran when the ambulance arrived, fearing he would be arrested for driving while disqualified.

Mr Broderick told the jury it was the next morning that he realised he “did not give a s*** about his driving offences” and got his thoughts together.

He claims he heard Stephen Burns’ voice in police custody which further threw him into panic. Meanwhile jurors were shown an identity parade where Mr Broderick cried when Mr Macleod’s face was shown, asking for the procedure to be stopped.

“I didn’t want to see him,” he said.

Mr Macleod, 36, of Gypsy Road, Lambeth, denies murder, while Mr Burns, 55, of Lennox Street, Brighton, denies assisting an offender. The trial continues.