A CLOSE friend of a 25-year-old man killed in Greenwich has described the moment he realised his pal had been stabbed.

Alistair Wilson, aged 28, spoke today at the Old Bailey trial of Michael Bowden who is accused of murdering Blackheath resident Paul Martin.

The father of two was stabbed five times by Bowden while Mr Martin and friends waited for a lift home following a night out in Greenwich on March 29 last year.

Speaking from the witness box, Mr Wilson told the court Bowden walked towards the group being "very aggressive" and that he said "what are you looking at", directed at Mr Martin.

Prosecution lawyer Zoe Johnson asked: “As far as you know, had Paul done anything to cause that comment?”

Mr Wilson replied: “No, nothing at all.”

Later he added: “When the guy lunged at Paul, I would have thrown a punch to stop him from being beaten up. But I didn't.

“To be honest I didn't have the chance. As soon as Paul put his arms up to protect himself the guy just ran down the alley.

“Paul was just spitting blood. My first thought was that he must have been punched in the mouth.

“But blood was pouring from his mouth. He was standing up but leaning forward.

“He had a hole in his neck and it suddenly dawned on me that he had been stabbed in the neck.”

This morning the court also heard from Mr Martin's girlfriend Jessica Ryan, who described the build-up to the attack near St Alfege Church in Greenwich Church Street.

She told the court she escorted a friend down an alley to go to the toilet after drinking with Mr Martin and friends in Greenwich's Desperados restaurant and Tiki lounge.

Ms Ryan said they returned to the main road to meet Mr Martin and Mr Wilson, but noticed a man in a telephone box.

“I saw a man charge out of the telephone box towards where the boys were standing," she said.

“He looked really aggressive. He slammed the door open and stormed out of it.

“He lunged at Paul.”

Later she added: “I remember seeing Paul bleeding from his nose and mouth.

“When he was speaking he was spitting out lots of blood.

“I was in shock.”

Mr Martin was taken to King's College Hospital in Denmark Hill but suffered a cardiac arrest and died several hours later.

Bowden, of Marden Square, Bermondsey, denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility but has already pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

The trial continues.