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Andre Bent murder trial: Student stabbed during street brawl outside MoStack gig at Maidstone nightclub Gallery gives evidence

One of the men stabbed in a fight in which a student was allegedly murdered has told a jury of the moments after he left a Maidstone nightclub.

Patrick Conceicao told a jury at Maidstone Crown Court: "It was just chaos... there was a mass brawl and fighting."

Andre Bent died near Gallery nightclub in August
Andre Bent died near Gallery nightclub in August

Mr Conceicao, also a student, had been to Gallery nightclub to watch a performance of a rapper called MoStack, real name Montell Daley.

Afterwards he said he was knocked to the ground and stabbed three times as he left to find a hotel.

A 17-year-old, of Hornsey, north London - who cannot be named due to his age - has denied murdering 21-year-old Andre Bent and stabbing Mr Conceicao and two others others.

Ryan Lowe-White, 21, of Boyton Close, Hornsey, and Ali Aziz, 24, of no fixed address, both deny charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Mr Conceicao told how in August last year he had driven from his home in London with three friends.

Police at the scene. Picture: Jim Bennett
Police at the scene. Picture: Jim Bennett

He said he and his group had arrived at 11pm and after parking went to the club where the rapper was appearing.

He said: "We had drunk three bottles of vodka and three bottles of Champagne."

At 4am they left the club and Mr Conceicao admitted he was "very drunk".

As he walked outside he told how he was confronted by the fracas, explaining: "The next thing I remember I was on the ground. I didn't know exactly what was happening I was just just being beaten.

"I was dizzy and I started running... I thought I was running back to the club but (in fact) I was running the opposite way.

Volunteers from Urband Blue and Street Pators held a memorial service for Andre Bent in Jubilee Square, Maidstone in September. Credit to Street Pastors
Volunteers from Urband Blue and Street Pators held a memorial service for Andre Bent in Jubilee Square, Maidstone in September. Credit to Street Pastors

"I got cornered and there were two people who were hitting me all over but mainly my face.

"Something must have distracted them because they left me and I ran back to the club but the guards initially didn't want to let me in.

He said he hadn't noticed that his t-shirt was covered in blood and he was later taken to hospital and treated for three stab wounds, one of which had punctured his lung.

The Sussex University student had been carrying a £800 Gucci man bag with his valuables inside - but then lost it "in the chaos".

He denied a suggestion he had taken off his belt and used it as a weapon during the brawl.

"I may have been defending myself," he added.

But during cross-examination he was shown footage which revealed him taking it off and swinging it "as a weapon".

"That's what it seems like, yes."

Another witness told the court how he saw a man in a hoodie brandishing a combat knife.

Kai Constantine revealed that he was with friend Mr Bent on the night.

He said: "We originally were going to the ATIK club in Dartford but decided instead to go to the Gallery in Maidstone."

He added they were out celebrating a friend's birthday and had gone to the club's VIP area where he drunk half a bottle of Prosecco before leaving at 3 am.

Mr Constantine said he and two friends left the club and were planning to wait for Mr Bent.

He said: "Once we got outside we were talking to others. I was then aware of people arguing as they left the club.

"It was hectic but I didn't think there was any animosity at first. I saw less than 10 people arguing. There were raised voices.

"Then fighting broke out between the club and the square, There were a lot of people fighting.

"There were more than five and less than 20 who were fighting.

"I saw people punching and kicking each other and I saw two or three people on the ground. I saw people tending to them."

Two minutes into the fight he said he saw a man in a hood running and attacking people.

He added: "It looked like he had a long knife, like a 12-15 inch combat knife in his hand and he was thrusting at people. He looked like he was trying to stab them.

"They were trying to get out of the way. He was running towards the Gallery Nightclub and I didn't see him again.

Mr Constantine said he went to a First Aid box and then discovered Mr Bent was being treated.

He went home and was told later he had died.

Det Con Murray Tester had earlier told the jury that the teenager accused of murder, who was 16 years old at the time, was part of a group of MoStack's supporters and fans.

He said stills from footage shown to the court showed him stabbing Bent on the left side and that he also stabbed another man, Joshua Robinson.

Jurors were told after the incident the defendant returned to his home in London then flew to Greece. He was arrested on his return on 31 August.

The trial previously heard the brawl was described as like a "Royal Rumble".

The trial continues.

KMTV with the latest on the murder trial

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