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Latvian national Jurijs Popovs 'stabbed partner's son' in flats in Teynham near Sittingbourne, murder trial told

Dimitris Titovs suffered a fatal stab wound in London Road, Teynham. Picture: @Kent_999s
Dimitris Titovs suffered a fatal stab wound in London Road, Teynham. Picture: @Kent_999s

Bad feeling between two men led to one of them being fatally wounded at a block of flats near Sittingbourne in the early hours of New Year's Day, a court heard.

Jurijs Popovs stabbed his partner's son Dmitrijs Titovs as he burst through a door on the first floor at Henley Place in Teynham, it was alleged.

Mr Titovs collapsed and died within about an hour, despite attempts to save his life.

Popovs, 47, denies murder and is expected to claim the victim's mother Svetlana Kandate was holding the large kitchen knife when the fatal wound was inflicted, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

"While many of you were celebrating the beginning of the year, Dmitrijs Tivovs, a young man of 21, was stabbed..." - prosecutor Kalyani Kaul QC

Prosecutor Kalyani Kaul QC told the jury of seven men and five women: "This case concerns a very sad event. While many of you were celebrating the beginning of the year, Dmitrijs Tivovs, a young man of 21, was stabbed."

The case centred around a group of Latvians, some of whom had settled at the flats in London Road.

Miss Kaul said Mr Titovs, who arrived in the UK in October 2011, had lived there with his mother and Popovs. But Popovs resented his presence and there was a history between them in a short time.

Mr Titovs left for a while but then returned, before leaving again in the early summer of last year.

On December 29, there was a violent argument between Popovs and Mr Titovs in the street in Maidstone. Mr Titovs girlfriend Snezana Danilova called the police.

"It is important because it shows the poor relationship they had and the level of aggression, anger and resentment building up over a period of time right up to the events in the early morning of January 1," said Miss Kaul.

Mr Titovs and his girlfriend had gone with friends to the address for New Year around midnight. They were rowdy and neighbour Sophie Lightfoot complained.

The case was heard at Maidstone Crown Court
The case was heard at Maidstone Crown Court

Around 1am, Popovs and Mr Titovs had a fist fight. Two police officers arrived and advised Mr Titovs and his group to take a taxi back to Maidstone.

The officers then left. But Mr Titovs' group did not go and trouble erupted between Popovs and Miss Kandate inside their flat.

Fearing for Miss Kandate's safety, Mr Titovs and friends banged on the door. As Miss Kandate opened it her son fell or stumbled in. He was stabbed and collapsed in the doorway.

Shortly afterwards, one of Mr Titovs' friends, Anzelika Buiko, saw Miss Kandate climb out of the first floor window at the front of the flats and jump.

Miss Buiko had tried to stop her but Miss Kandate insisted: "No, I am going to as Dmitrijs is dying and Jurijs won't let me out as he is holding a knife."

The trial continues.

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