Members of staff from a gym desperately tried in vain to save a mum after she was stabbed in the heart by her son.
Jamie Dempsey accidentally knifed his mother Karen in the chest outside the Brambles pub in Kirkby while fighting with another man. He then hugged the 55-year-old before fleeing the scene, leaving her bleeding to death.
The 32-year-old is currently standing trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of murder. Jurors were today told of efforts to save Ms Dempsey's life in the aftermath of the incident.
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A statement read out to the court on behalf of Matthew Hall described how he had been closing the Training Station - a gymnasium above the nearby Flames takeaway - for the evening shortly after 8pm along with his girlfriend Whitney Johnson and friend Paul Daniels. Mr Daniels walked ahead to his van in the car park at the rear of the row of shops, at which point he encountered the critically-injured woman.
Mr Hall described how he saw him applying pressure to Ms Dempsey's chest, saying: "I instantly knew something had happened as there were people standing around, but I didn't know what. Paul said to me, 'she's been stabbed'."
He then dialled 999 and instructed Ms Johnson to head onto Cherryfield Drive and flag down any passing ambulances or police cars. Mr Hall's statement added: "I could see the woman was still breathing, however she was drifting in and out of consciousness.
"A police officer came running over to where I was stood. I have no idea what took place leading up to this incident and I do not know the woman that was on the floor."
Pathologist Dr Jonathan Medcalf was also called to give evidence during the second day of the case, having conducted a post-mortem investigation following Ms Dempsey's death. He found she had sustained a "deep stab wound" to the upper left side of her chest of 2.3cm in length and 15.5cm deep "caused by a sharp, narrow bladed weapon".
Peter Glenser KC, prosecuting, told jurors on Monday that the mum and son had made arrangements to meet for a drink in the pub on the evening of August 22, 2022. Dempsey, of Brechin Road, had raised concerns about potentially seeing a man called Brian Flynn at this location "as there had been unpleasantness between them nearby before".
The court heard his adversary "was cross with him because he had run up an unpaid drug debt of some £2,000". Messages the defendant had sent to Ms Dempsey from his girlfriend's phone beforehand described him as a "d***head" who had "dropped him outside the Tavern" previously, although he said he was not "a***d about it".
CCTV footage from inside the bar showed Ms Dempsey sat with friends from around 7.30pm on the night in question. Mr Flynn meanwhile was situated at a table nearby, unbeknown to her.
Dempsey and his partner Sarah Van Maren entered around 10 minutes later and joined her, but "moments later" Ms Dempsey went into the foyer to call a taxi - he having apparently spotted the other man inside. Shortly after 8pm Mr Flynn returned from the toilets and hurled a glass at him, hitting him on the back of the head.
He then "followed up this assault with punches" thrown at him. Ms Dempsey and others managed to restrain him, but he picked up a second glass and again chucked it at Dempsey - who left via the back door.
Mr Flynn meanwhile was escorted out of the front exit, onto Cherryfield Drive. The accused then began walking towards this area, and another confrontation erupted.
The pair began to grapple, with Dempsey now clutching a knife in his right hand. He stabbed Mr Flynn at least twice before a man, referred to in court as "Male A", and Ms Dempsey attempted to intervene.
The weapon "made contact" with her chest at this point, leaving her with blood pouring down her dress. The fighting then ceased, at which point Dempsey hugged his mum and left the area.
She collapsed moments later, the knife having pierced her heart and liver. Ms Dempsey was rushed to Aintree Hospital, but was pronounced dead at 9.45pm.
A "heavily bloodstained" Mr Flynn was stopped by police nearby and arrested. He too was taken to hospital after suffering serious injuries, having suffered a stab wound to the left armpit.
After fleeing, Dempsey walked to his aunt's house and told her there had "been a fight and he had stabbed his mother". He took off his clothing and asked his cousin to burn it, although the relative did not do so.
The knifeman then went to an off-licence and bought cans of beer. Later, Dempsey was dropped at Kirkby Police Station by a friend.
While the police station was closed, he phoned Merseyside Police "to tell them where he was and that he was wanted" - not yet knowing that he had killed his mum. Having initially claimed to have used a shard of glass during the incident, he changed his account after learning of Ms Dempsey's death and stated that he had instead found a knife by the back door of the pub.
Dempsey denies murder. The trial continues.
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