A former Cardiff City footballer stabbed a man in the back in a “pre-meditated and not provoked” attack on a quiet Putney street, a court has heard.

Ibrahim Meite, 25, who also played for League Two side Crawley Town, allegedly knifed Rio Amos, 24, on the morning of September 12 2019.

Amos is said to have then produced a larger blade and stabbed Meite after he fell over while running from the scene.

Prosecutor Max Hardy said it was “unlikely this was a chance passing” when Meite encountered Amos after driving his White Mercedes to the “quiet residential street” with Leon Hughes, 33, in the front passenger seat.

He told Kingston Crown Court CCTV footage shows the pair getting out of the car and Meite engaging Amos in conversation, “moving from side to side” before he “sidles around his back”.

Mr Hardy said Meite stabbed Amos in the back, “catching him unawares” while his “attention was split between the two men”.

Amos then produced a larger knife and “deliberately and intentionally” inflicted a number of more serious wounds on Meite after he tripped and fell to the ground while running off, he continued.

“The prosecution say that the attack on Mr Amos by Mr Meite was premeditated and not provoked by anything that can be seen on the footage and that the attack by Mr Amos on Mr Meite in return went far beyond lawful self-defence,” said Mr Hardy.

“It is the prosecution case that both of them were intending to cause each other serious harm and that Mr Hughes was a participant in the violence used by Mr Meite against Mr Amos.”

Both of the injured men were treated at St George’s Hospital.

Meite, of Roehampton, and Hughes, of Merton, both in south-west London, deny wounding with intent, an alternative charge of unlawful wounding, and possession of a knife.

Hughes further denies two charges of perverting the course of justice over allegations he moved Meite’s car, disposed of the knife and gave a false account to police.

Amos, of Wandsworth, south-west London, denies wounding with intent and an alternative charge of unlawful wounding.

The jury was told he previously admitted to separately possessing a knife at the scene and at the hospital.