A resident of an Ipswich block of flats has told the jury in the trial of six defendants accused of murdering an Ipswich teenager that she saw a man get out of a van and pick up a piece of metal shortly before the alleged killing.

The woman, who suffers from dementia, was in the bedroom of her flat in Iris Close, Ipswich, on June 2 when a van pulled up and she saw four men get out.

One of the men went into a neighbouring block of flats while the other three stood around smoking near some allotments.

Giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court, she said that before the men got back into the van and drove off she saw one of them pick up a piece of metal.

Before the court are Aristote Yenge, 23, of Spring Road, Ipswich, Adebayo Amusa, 20, of Sovereign Road, Barking, Callum Plaats, 23, of Ipswich, Isaac Calver, 19, of Firmin Close, Ipswich, a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named because of his age, and Leon Glasgow, 42, of no fixed address.

They deny murdering 17-year-old Tavis Spencer-Aitkens, of Pownall Road, Ipswich, who died after he was was allegedly hit over the head with a bottle and stabbed 15 times.

It has been alleged that Tavis was “butchered” to death as a result of ill-feeling between two rival groups.

The alleged attack took place at around 4.45pm on June 2 in Packard Avenue, Ipswich.

Oliver Glasgow QC, prosecuting, has alleged the attack on Tavis was the result of what the “J-Block” group, from Jubilee Park area of Ipswich and the “Neno” group from the Nacton area and the IP3 postcode, perceived to be a loss of respect following a row between two of their friends and two of Tavis’s friends in Lush earlier on June 2.

Mr Glasgow alleged that the fact that members of “Neno” had confronted the “J-Block” members so close to their home turf and the fact that the “J-Block” members had run and hidden rather than stood their ground gave the moral victory to Neno.

He alleged that following the row members of J-Block travelled to the Nacton area of Ipswich to get revenge.

The trial, who is expected to last until February, continues.