An Arbroath family battled to save the life of their friend who had been “stabbed” metres from their front door, a court has heard.
Jackie Knight was giving evidence at the High Court in Dundee on Thursday at the trial of Jackie Doig.
Doig, 42, denies murdering Frankie Melvin by stabbing him on an Arbroath street in August 2020.
Mrs Knight let Mr Melvin into her Spitalfield Place home after he banged on her door while shouting he had been “stabbed”.
Mr Melvin collapsed on her hallway floor. With help from her children, she used bathroom towels to stem his bleeding.
Ms Knight also spoke to Doig from her doorstep and told him he would “not get to Frankie.”
She said Doig responded: “That’s what you get for trying to rob me.”
999 call
Doig has launched a special defence of self-defence.
The court was played audio of the 999 call Mrs Knight made, where she could be heard reassuring Mr Melvin: “It’s OK, it’s OK, you’re going to be OK. The ambulance is on its way.”
Mr Melvin had received a wound to his left shoulder and legs, Mrs Knight told the court.
He was not conscious when he was being placed in the ambulance, she added.
Mr Melvin’s dog, Lassie, had followed him into the house and lay beside him until the ambulance arrived, Mrs Knight added.
Police hunt
Police apprehended Doig within 45 minutes of the alleged murder taking place, jurors were told.
PC Rod Hamilton was instructed to head to the Co-Op shop where Mr Melvin and Doig had been spotted at earlier.
While there, he was pointed in the direction of Doig, who was running away from the shop.
CCTV played to the court had shown Doig making his way from the scene of the alleged crime to the shop, where he bought a packet of cigarettes.
PC Hamilton was able to catch-up with Doig, where he informed him he looked like a suspect they were looking for as part of a major investigation.
Doig stayed with the officers until senior investigating cops from CID arrived, the court heard.
Murder denied
Doig, formerly of Dundee, is accused of assaulting Mr Melvin in Newbigging Drive and Spitalfield Place, Arbroath, on August 26.
It is alleged he repeatedly punched and kicked him on the head and body, pursued him while armed with a knife and repeatedly stabbed him on the body and murdered him.
Doig is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by removing and concealing clothes he wore during the alleged killing and concealing mobile phones.
Prosecutors say he did this to avoid detection and prosecution.
It is further claimed, on the same day as the alleged murder, Doig was concerned in the supply of Etizolam, a class C drug.
Doig denies all charges. The trial continues.
