UPDATE: WYCOMBE MURDER TRIAL: Lee Gillespie was stabbed by man wielding hunting knife, friend tells court

A woman who witnessed the graveyard stabbing of a High Wycombe father-of-two today spoke in court of her horror when she saw the knifeman turn the blade on her boyfriend.

READ MORE HERE: Re-cap what was said during the first day of the trial - as the prosecution put forward their case against the three defendants. 

Lee Gillespie was stabbed 15 times in the head, neck, chest and shoulder blade in an attack planned by three people and carried out by his ex-girlfriend's former husband, prosecutors claim.

Earlier, prosecutor Alan Blake told the court that Gillespie’s former partner, Jodie Willis, organised for Martin Stanislaus to attack the 26-year-old in High Wycombe on the evening of August 22 in revenge for his behaviour towards her during and after their relationship.

Willis and Stanislaus – who stand on trial alongside Leigh Burns, all accused of murder - had been estranged from one another for a number of years but they had recently re-established contact with one another.

Bucks Free Press:

Lee Gillespie.

Reading Crown Court today heard that passers-by Tom Rose and his girlfriend, Emma Schofield, watched the shocking incident unfold before Mr Gillespie gasped his final breath.

Taking to the witness stand, Emma Schofield told the jury how she had been walking down the street in her flip-flops to watch the rugby at a town centre pub when she saw a figure ahead of her fall to the floor.

She said: “At first Tom and I heard shouting as we walked down the street. I had an idea where it was coming from but I did not know what it was about.

"Then I saw a male falling on the pavement. A second man came into my line of vision within a matter of seconds. He had been behind the first man.

"I remember the man on the floor turning back to face the man coming towards him and putting his hands up to defend himself.

"Tom then ran forward to try to stop this incident developing.

"I started calling Tom back. The knifeman stopped stabbing the man on the floor and stepped towards Tom, still brandishing the knife.

Bucks Free Press:

Click on the image above to see more pictures from the scene, including the forensic investigation, the arrival of TV media and floral tributes.

"Tom took a couple steps back from the man and said some words to him, which I can't recall.

"The man stopped walking towards him and then ran off back in the direction he came from into the graveyard.

"It was very frightening and all I can say is it was a very stressful event."

Ms Schofield told the jury that her boyfriend stayed with the victim while she ran to a nearby pub to get some paper towels to help stop the bleeding.

Mr Gillespie had suffered a number of stab wounds and began to lose consciousness before he stopped breathing, the court heard.

"Tom gave him mouth-to-mouth and I started CPR, chest compressions," Ms Schofield told the jury.

They also heard further testimony from other witness statements, all of whom spoke of Mr Gillespie's final "rasping breath" as a crowd of five people gathered around to help him in his dying moments.

Bucks Free Press:

In custody: Stanislaus, Willis and Burns were transported by a secure van after an appearance at Wycombe Magistrates Court.

Stanislaus, of Delta Grove in Ealing, West London, denies murder, perverting the course of justice and possessing a knife in public.

Willis, of The Mead in Beaconsfield, and Burns, of Willcott Road in Ealing, deny murder and perverting the course of justice.

Judge John Reddihough adjourned the hearing until tomorrow before the three defendants were led back down to the cells.

Read more, here.