A YOUNG man texted a friend "Merry Christmas" shortly before stabbing him to death in the street outside his flat in Yorkshire early on Boxing Day, a jury was told.

Alleged murderer Taylor Fenwick, 22, and Luke Miller, 23, had spent the latter part of Christmas Day drinking with friends at the Broken Bridge in Tadcaster before going to Fenwick’s home, David Brooke KC, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court.

He claimed Fenwick ordered Mr Miller out of his flat at about 7am on Boxing Day after they had spent the night with friends drinking and both had taken cocaine.

He showed the jury CCTV that the prosecution alleges shows the two men struggling over a knife in Commercial Street on Boxing Day and Mr Miller falling to the ground.

Paramedics  tried to save his life but were unable to do so and Mr Miller was declared dead at 7.48am, said Mr Brooke.

Luke MillerLuke Miller (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

The prosecution claims that a man seen running off screen on the CCTV immediately after Mr Miller falls and returning very shortly afterwards is Taylor Fenwick.

Mr Brooke alleged that when police arrived, Fenwick told one: “I did it” before being sick.

He claimed to police that Mr Miller had been trying to get into his first floor flat.

The prosecution showed the jury CCTV of Mr Miller on the street in the minutes before his death.

“He looks like a young man who had had too much to drink and in fact is weaving about with a cigarette,” alleged Mr Brooke.

Fenwick, of Commercial Street, Tadcaster, denies murder.

Opening the prosecution on the first day of the trial, Mr Brooke said a girl who was in the street when Mr Miller fell to the ground dialled 999.

The prosecution said Mr Miller died from a single stab wound.

Mr Brooke said the two men and friends had spent the night immediately before Mr Miller’s death in Fenwick’s first floor flat and showed the jury photos of steps leading from the street up to Fenwick’s flat. The group of friends also included Fenwick’s flatmate.

During the night the group drank and both Fenwick and Miller took cocaine.

An argument sprang up between Mr Miller and another of the group and at one stage Fenwick separated the two.

“He (Mr Miller) had obviously had something to drink, he had taken some cocaine. He was told to go outside,” alleged Mr Brooke.

Mr Miller was later allowed back into the flat but was again told to leave and went out at about 7am.

Mr Brooke showed the jury texts between members of the group at the time including what he said was Fenwick texting Mr Miller "Merry Christmas”.

He later claimed to police he went outside with a knife “in order to frighten” Mr Miller.

The trial continues.