A WITNESS broke down as he heard the 999 call he made on the night a friend died after he was run over by a taxi following an alleged assault in York.

Henry Smith fought back tears as the jury at Leeds Crown Court heard him tell the operator in the recording that he and Sam Wilson, had been “jumped” by other men as they were walking in Haxby Road to a club.

He made the call having run from the scene in the early hours of October 11 last year and told the operator his friend had been knocked out near Nestlé and he thought he might be dead. Mr Smith said he was terrified and had broken his hand in the fight.

He asked for help to come quickly adding: “I am not being funny, but I have never been so scared in my life.”

He only ended the call when he saw a police car approach. After it was played in the courtroom, the trial was adjourned and then the jury was given an early lunch break so Mr Smith could recover his composure.

Three defendants from York, Linden Lee Smith, 20, of Kirkham Avenue, Bell Farm; Jack David Alexander, 21, of Fox Covert, Huntington, and Robbie Mark McHale, 20, of Fifth Avenue, Tang Hall, each deny the manslaughter of Mr Wilson, 21.

They also deny a second charge of assaulting Henry Smith, causing him actual bodily harm.

The prosecution claim following an assault on Mr Wilson, he was left unconscious in the road where he was then run over by a taxi.

Mr Smith told the jury that he and Sam Wilson were close, “like brothers”, after meeting at secondary school.

The previous evening, a surprise 60th birthday party had been held for his father at Huntington Working Men’s Club and Sam Wilson was among the guests.

Afterwards a group of about eight had gone to the Flag and Whistle pub and later decided to go on to Flares nightclub.

However, when the taxi they ordered arrived it was only a seven-seater, so he and Sam decided to walk. As they did so, close to Nestlé, one of two males who were cycling past them shouted what sounded like insults.

“Both me and Sam replied ‘shut up’,” he said.

At that the two men threw their bikes to the ground and walked back towards them very fast. Mr Smith said he and his friend approached them “to see what they wanted”.

He said one of the males “pressed his forehead against mine and said the words ‘Do you know who I am, I’m Linden’”.

He took that as a threat but told him “I don’t care.” Meanwhile the second man had exchanged words with Sam Wilson and then he heard a punch land on his friend, causing him to stumble back.

Mr Smith said to protect his friend he punched that man in the face, breaking a bone in his hand in the process and then scuffled on the ground with him until a third male appeared shouting at them to stop and they both got to their feet.

He told the jury a second incident of violence then happened after that third man, having removed a hoodie, then approached him and his friend with one of the other men either side, saying: “Do you want a fight, then let’s have it.”

That third man punched Sam Wilson on the side of his face and he fell to the ground.

He ended up on the ground with two of the men trying to punch and elbow him, and only got free after the third man approached and he kicked out at him to stop him joining in.

When he managed to get away, he ran off towards the town centre without looking back “because I was frightened,” he said.

The trial continues.