Bourne murder trial told how Kyle Marshall was trying to track down alleged killer

A man who died in a Bourne park had spent several days trying to track down his alleged killer, a court heard.

Kyle Marshall, 37, is alleged to have been stabbed in the chest with a machete after he finally located Reece Bruns, 20, in Wellhead Park on the night of June 26.

Prosecutors allege Bruns carried out the murder after being passed the machete from a youth who was with him in the park.

Bruns, of St Paul's Road, Bourne, and the 17-year-old, who can not be named, each deny charges of murder and possessing a bladed article in a public place.

Lincoln Crown Court was told that events had escalated after Bruns allegedly assaulted Mr Marshall's brother-in-law at a festival in Bourne while he (Mr Marshall) was on remand in custody.

Pavlos Panayi KC, prosecuting, told jurors: "Upon his release on June 21 Mr Marshall was clearly very angry with Reece Bruns for attacking his brother in law and breaking his nose, and he felt the police had done nothing about it.

"Mr Marshall set about trying to track Mr Bruns down."

The court was told that Mr Marshall exchanged messages with a friend which stated "I want to see him" and "dead man walking."

There were also direct messages between Mr Bruns and Mr Marshall in which the older man made racist remarks.

Mr Panayi said: "Mr Bruns last message was 'come find me then' and that is exactly what Mr Marshall set about doing."

Jurors heard Mr Marshall eventually learnt of Bruns' location during an exchange of messages with a teenage girl and stated "I'm going to smash him."

Despite pleas from other relatives Mr Marshall chose to drive to Bourne to confront Bruns and parked at the Masons Arms pub, Mr Panayi said.

In the period before Mr Marshall arrived in the park it is alleged the 17-year-old youth left and returned with a machete and a knife which he concealed in a winter jacket.

Mr Panayi alleged the youth handed Bruns the machete when Mr Marshall came on the scene and charged towards him unarmed.

The trial continues.