A man was stabbed three times when he intervened in a row between another man and a woman, a court was told.

Joseph Nti described how blood spurted from his body after the attack on the stairs of a Brighton block of flats.

The first stab wound went right through his arm, severing an artery, and into his stomach.

The second punctured his colon and the third went into his loin, a jury at Hove Crown Court heard.

Mr Nti had been with friends to the Honey Club on Brighton seafront on April 10 last year.

He went back to a friend's 11th floor flat at Mount Pleasant, Brighton, after the club closed at 2.30am.

A row started in the flat between Rawle Jeffrey, 24, from Clapham, south London, and Louisa Tipping.

Jeffrey allegedly assaulted her and when Mr Nti intervened a scuffle started between the two men, the court heard.

Mr Robin Johnson, prosecuting, said Jeffrey left the flat and drove to the home of his friend Clive Doyley at Pett Close, Whitehawk.

He said they returned to the flat together and forced their way in by kicking the door down.

Mr Johnson said: "Mr Jeffrey had a knife in his hand and seeing this, Mr Nti made a run for it.

"He was chased by the man with the knife and turned to confront him on the stairs.

"Mr Nti raised his arm and was stabbed through the forearm, the knife passing through the other side.

"He was stabbed again in the abdomen, the knife passing through his colon, and again through the rear loin."

The jury was shown police photographs of a trail of blood leading down the stairs and out into the street, where Mr Nti collapsed.

Mr Johnson said after the alleged attack Doyley was driven home to Whitehawk by Jeffrey.

Police stopped Jeffrey in his car and arrested him later that night. Doyley was arrested the following day.

Mr Nti told the court that he could not remember a great deal about what had happened.

He said Louisa was always loud and aggressive and had provoked Jeffrey.

He agreed there had been a scuffle between him and Jeffrey and that he had punched the other man on the side of the head.

Cross examined by Daniel Flahive, Mr Nti denied he had tried to run past Jeffrey on the stairs and had "landed" on the knife.

He said: "I was weak and dizzy. Blood was spurting out of my body. I don't remember."

Jeffrey denies attempted murder and an alternative charge of grievous bodily harm with intent.

Doyley denies a charge of affray.

The hearing continues.