A man suffered six knife wounds in his back after being attacked by three people while sitting in his mother's car, Supreme Court heard yesterday.

Joshua Geoffrey Wolffe yesterday pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Kevon Albouy following the incident near Five Star Island in Southampton, on July 10 last year.

Steven Jireh Iris and Leshaun Tony Scott both admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, with the Crown choosing not to pursue charges of attempted murder against Iris and Scott. All three defendants were said to be friends of Mr. Albouy.

Opening the Crown's case, Director of Public Prosecutions Rory Field told the court Mr. Albouy, 21, of Sandys, was subjected to an assault which continued as he staggered bloodily into the road, also sustaining a cut to his scalp that needed three stitches.

Mr. Field said Iris was armed with a chain and Wolffe a knife throughout the incident, with Mr. Albouy getting kicked, punched and threatened.

Mr. Albouy took to the stand yesterday afternoon, telling the jury the attack began after he stopped his car near Scott's house off Five Star Island to wait for his friends.

The alleged victim said Scott came and started talking to him through the driver's window before suddenly attempting to grab the keys out of the ignition and swinging at Mr. Albouy with his fist. Iris, nicknamed Squid, then appeared at the passenger's door and tried to pull Mr. Albouy out of the vehicle, with Wolffe getting into the back seat, claimed Mr. Albouy.

He said at one stage he realised he had been stabbed in the back, telling the court: "I felt it. I felt the puncture in my back and I saw blood on my hands. It had to be either Leshaun or Joshua that did it.

"I was shocked and I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what was going to happen."

He said he got out of the car and ran toward Middle Road, and the defendants ran after him.

"I was out of breath, I was feeling weak, I couldn't breathe and Leshaun and Squid, they was listening to everything Josh was telling them to do," he said.

"He had told Squid to try and beat my face into the street. He had told them to hold me down while they try to find something to hit me with.

"He had told Leshaun to hit me and Leshaun hit me with a broomstick. I got hit in the eye by the padlock thing and then they finally ran away after someone called out to them."

Earlier, Mr. Field had told the court: "The continued nature of the attack, going into the road to continue when he was bleeding ... show they wanted to do more than really wound him on account they have already wounded him. Mr. Field described Wolffe as the main attacker, adding: "He was the main man, he was the older man."

As well as attempted murder, Wolffe, 24, of Cockburn Road, Sandys, pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, having a bladed article in a public place, wilful damage of a motor car, intimidating a witness and two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Iris, 20, of Radnor Road, Hamilton Parish, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and being in possession of a metal chain and padlock; but not guilty to attempted murder, and wilful damage of the car.

Scott, 20, of Middle Road, Southampton, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm; but not guilty to attempted murder, possessing an offensive weapon [a stick] and wilful damage of the car.

The charges Iris and Scott pleaded not guilty to will remain on the court's file.

Iris and Scott were remanded into custody pending sentencing. Wolffe's trial is expected to take up to two weeks.