A MAN stabbed his friend to death over a misunderstanding in a text message, a court heard.

Neil Brook launched a “sustained and vicious attack” on his neighbour and friend, Joseph Witkowski, at his Walkden flat, Manchester Crown Court was told yesterday.

The court heard that the pair, who had known each other for six months, had fallen out over a series of text messages.

Brook told police he had sent Mr Witkowski a text containing the word mutter, but Mr Witkowski had read it as nutter.

The stabbing happened after Mr Witkowski banged on Brook’s door at the flats in Wilbraham Road at about 1am on July 24 last year, demanding to be let in.

Brook, aged 33, opened the door, tripped Mr Witkowski as he came in, then stabbed him several times with two knives he had taped to the wall and door of his flat, the court heard.

Andrew O’Byrne, prosecuting, said Mr Witkowski tried to take refuge in the bathroom but Brook stabbed a hole through the door before smashing it open while his friend tried to hold it shut with his feet.

Brook then came in and continued to attack Mr Witkowski in the bathroom, the court heard. There was also evidence that Brook had kicked and stamped on Mr Witkowski’s face.

Mr Witkowski had 104 injuries on his body, including cuts, stab wounds and bruises and slice marks on his hands where, the prosecution says, he tried to defend himself.

When the police arrived, Brook was covered in blood while Mr Witkowski, aged 27, the nephew of former Mayor of Salford Stan Witkowski, was lying on his back in the bathroom. He was taken to the Royal Salford Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Brook said to the police officers at the flat: “I tripped him up as he came through the door and I thought: ‘Right you’re getting it’.

“He had a big kitchen knife and I pulled my knife off the door and stabbed him. I just lost it and went crazy. I thought we were mates. All over a misunderstanding over a text. I said mutter not nutter.”

Brook has pleaded not guilty to murder.

The trial continues.