THE alleged victim of the pub car park stabbing told a court he was “genuinely terrified” of the man who attacked him.

On Tuesday morning, Darren de Vries told Chelmsford Crown Court how he had gone to the pub to speak to one of his friends, who was a barman.

Mr de Vries said: “The first person I saw when I got in there was Glenn Freeman.

“Glenn tried to tell me the pub was shut. He was stood there acting as a doorman.”

He added: “When I walked through the door he said you are not coming in tonight – we are closing up now.”

Mr de Vries said he ordered a vodka drink and could feel Freeman “eyeballing” the back of his head.

He said he offered Freeman a drink but he declined.

He said: “After that I turned round and on the third time I felt a punch.

“We got in a scuffle. As I turned around it just kicked off.

There were punches thrown by both of us.

“I did retaliate. I picked a bar stool up and hit him across the back. I was aware of what Glenn was capable of. I was aware he carried a knife around with him. At that point I was genuinely terrified.”

The fight was split up and Freeman went outside.

Mr de Vries said: “I decided I was going to leave and go home.

I left out the back door. As I got out the back Glenn Freeman was waiting.”

The pair then squared up.

Mr de Vries said: “We moved in close as if we were going to box each other. I signalled him to come towards me. I felt a tap on my shoulder and neck area. Then my arm just dropped down by my side. I had no control over it.

“I didn’t realise what happened until I felt all the blood rushing out of my neck.”

Man stabbed in neck outside pub denies being aggressor in fight

STAB victim Darren de Vries has denied being the aggressor in a fight which ended with him being stabbed in the neck.

Janick Fielding, representing defendant Glenn Freeman, argued that Mr de Vries had gone to the pub to pick a fight with his client.

He told Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday how it appeared to be a “bigger man giving a smaller man a pasting”.

Mr Fielding disputed Mr de Vries’ assertion that he had left the Warwick Arms to go home.

He said: “I am going to suggest you left the pub as soon as you could.

“It was unfinished business – he was still standing.

“You deliberately followed him out into the car park and you took him from behind.”He added: “Mr Freeman was trying to push you off him.

“But you were stronger than him.

“You were holding him down with your hand on his neck.

“You were shouting at him: ‘I’m going to f***ing kill you.’”

“He was desperately trying to get away from you.”

Mr Fielding said Freeman was “panicking” and felt around before striking Mr de Vries in his shoulder and neck area.

But Mr de Vries denied Mr Fielding’s version of events.

He said: “I don’t believe anyone deserves to be hit, punched, stabbed or killed.

“I didn’t ask for this and I didn’t initiate it.”

Mr de Vries still sees a specialist for the injury he suffered.

The trial continues.