AN ALLEGED victim of attempted murder told a court he woke up to find a man standing over him holding a knife and hammer.

Ryan Smith gave evidence as a witness at Winchester Crown Court yesterday afternoon in the trial of Nicholas Price.

Price, aged 43, of Weymouth is charged with the murder of Abdal Rahman Al-Rabia, the attempted murder of Mr Smith, and the alternative count of wounding with intent.

He has denied all charges, which relate to an incident alleged to have occurred in Price’s flat in Bath Street, Weymouth, on November 8.

Mr Smith told the court the incident took place at around 6am and he was woken up after receiving a blow to the head.

He said: “I woke up and Nick was standing over me holding a knife and hammer.”

Mr Smith told the court Price continued to attack him and stabbed him in the chest.

He said: “All I remember [Price] saying was something along the lines of ‘You’re the Old Bill; you’re a police officer.’”

Mr Smith said Mr Al-Rabia tried to stand between the two men but shortly afterwards Mr Al-Rabia had fallen to the floor.

The court heard Mr Smith had arrived at Price’s address the previous afternoon with Mr Al-Rabia and both had stayed over at the flat. 

Mr Smith described a ‘relaxed’ atmosphere in the house prior to falling asleep. He told the court he had smoked a little bit of cannabis and alleged Price and a woman had smoked crack cocaine.

Nigel Lickley QC, representing Price, asked Mr Smith for details about his relationship with Mr Al-Rabia, and the 16-year-old male who was also in the flat at the time of the alleged incident.

Mr Smith told the court he had known Mr Al-Rabia for about a year and that the 16-year-old male, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was Mr Al-Rabia’s friend.

The court heard when Mr Al-Rabia’s body was examined, a container with £700 and a container with class A drugs was removed.

Mr Lickley QC suggested Mr Smith, Mr Al-Rabia and the 16-year-old male were part of an operation dealing class A drugs.

Mr Smith said: “You can suggest what you like but you’re not right.”

Mr Lickley QC also suggested Mr Smith had a gun in his trousers at the time of the alleged incident, a claim Mr Smith also denied.

Prior to this, Mr Lickley QC said: “Something happened that morning Mr Smith for that event to develop in the way that it did.

“Otherwise there is no way of explaining a man in his own home with a knife and hammer attacking you.”

Mr Smith said: “Drugs can do crazy things to people.”

Mr Lickley QC suggested Price used violence towards Mr Smith after believing Mr Smith was reaching for a gun. 

Mr Smith is expected to continue giving evidence this morning. The trial continues.