THE final moments of a murdered asylum-seeker's life were described in chilling detail yesterday.

A friend of Peiman Bahmani told a jury at Newcastle Crown Court how he was stabbed to death.

Reza Namdar had been with the 30-year-old Iranian when he was attacked on August 28.

Mr Namdar told Newcastle Crown Court at the trial of three men how he watched his friend being stabbed by a "gaunt" man, who was armed with two kitchen knives in Peel Street, Sunderland.

Mr Bahmani had been due to start a new life in Brighton but a two-day delay to the pre-booked coach journey cost him his life.

Mr Namdar told the court: "What I saw was very brief. The deceased went outside and the gaunt man stabbed him.

"He had a knife in both hands. One of them certainly had a serrated blade. I noticed they were both big kitchen knives, just normal kitchen knives.

"He wasn't given a chance at all. He was stabbed as soon as he came out."

Mr Namdar told the court how he realised Mr Bahmani was bleeding heavily from the left side of his chest.

Mr Namdar said: "When I tore his T-shirt and tried to comfort him, he said 'Reza, open the door, let them see they have killed me'."

Mr Bahmani went back outside the house, supported by his friend, until police and an ambulance arrived.

Steven Roberts, 18,of Morvenside, Edinburgh, denies murder, racially aggravated assault and violent disorder.

Joseph Rutherford, 23, of Gray Road, Sunderland, denies affray, racially aggravated assault and violent disorder and Gavin Gash, 27, of Hedworth Street, Sunderland, denies racially aggravated assault and violent disorder, all relating to the build-up to the murder.

The trial continues.