A prosecutor urged a jury to convict a man of attempted murder during closing speeches in the case yesterday.

Joshua Geoffrey Wolffe denies trying to kill Kevon Albouy, 21, who suffered six stab wounds to the back in an incident in Southampton on July 10 last year.

Two other men, Leshaun Scott and Steven Iris, both aged 20, have pleaded guilty to wounding Mr. Albouy with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

According to the case for the prosecution, all three men subjected the victim to an attack that began as he sat in a car and continued as he staggered into the road, also sustaining a cut to his scalp that needed three stitches.

It is alleged that Iris was armed with a chain and Wolffe a knife throughout the incident, with Mr. Albouy getting kicked, punched and threatened.

Delivering his closing speech in the Supreme Court case yesterday, Director of Public Prosecutions Rory Field alleged that Wolffe, 24, of Cockburn Road, Sandys, was the leader and director of the attack.

He pointed out that the trial has heard from a doctor that any one of the six wounds Mr. Albouy suffered to his back could have threatened his life if they had punctured an organ or major blood vessel.

Mr. Field accused Wolffe of lying to the jury during his evidence this week, in which he said he was not part of the altercation. He added: "It's quite clear that this defendant was involved in that fight. It's quite clear that he is lying about most of what went on."

However, defence lawyer Larry Scott urged the jury to find his client innocent. He said that Wolffe, who has children and a fiancee, is not part of a gang attack.

Referring to the co-accused who have pleaded guilty, he told the jury: "Without these bad guys there would be no case against Mr. Wolffe."

He also pointed out that it was dark, and Mr. Albouy did not see who stabbed him.

"There are no injuries on my client to suggest he was in a fight," he added.

As well as attempted murder, Wolffe has pleaded not guilty to a alternative lesser count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He also denies having a bladed article in a public place and wilful damage of a motor car.

He is further charged with one count of witness intimidation and two of attempting to pervert the course of justice relating to alleged incidents in the days before the Supreme Court trial began last Monday. Wolffe is alleged to have tried to get Mr. Albouy to drop the charges and to get his cousin to get him to do so.

He denies those allegations also.

Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves is due to sum up the case for the five men and seven women of the jury today, then send them out to consider their verdicts.