A robbery in which a drug dealer suffered fatal stab wounds was 'a team effort' by all five men accused of his murder, a jury have been told.
The prosecution have told Exeter Crown court the five men all knew that violence was going to be used in the attack on victim Steven Crook's and they were all responsible for his death.
Mr Michael Fitton, QC, said the attack was a joint enterprise because the defendants all shared the same purpose in planning and carrying out the robbery, regardless of their exact role.
Mr Fitton made his closing speech at the end of a seven week trial of Michael Webster from Okehampton and four men from Coventry who are all accused of the murder and robbery of Mr Crook.
The prosecution case is that they bought four knives from a nearby Sainsbury superstore before attacking Mr Crook as he opened the back door of his ground floor flat in Alphington Road.
They hoped to find large amounts of cash or drugs but escaped with around £1,000, jewellery, a laptop and a handbag. Mr Crook suffered serious knife wounds which led to him dying of blood loss.
It is alleged Webster acted as getaway driver while the other four burst through the back door armed with knives.
Steven Webster, aged 40, of East Street, Okehampton; Ryan Singleton, aged 26, of Howcotte Green, Canley, Coventry; Darren Twigger, aged 40, of John Rous Avenue, Canley; Bradley Richardson, aged 18, of Prior Deram Walk, Canley; and Anthony Martin, aged 22, of Gerard Avenue, Canley, all deny murder and robbery.
Mr Michael Fitton, QC, said the evidence showed the jury could be sure that all five men were acting together in planning a violent robbery and are therefore responsible for Mr Crook's killing.
He said:"Everyone knew what was going to happen. Webster, waiting in the car outside, knew what was going to happen. You don't need to force your way in if you are just asking to buy cocaine.
"This is going to be a burglary which might involve gaining entry by force. There is no reason for the intruders to be equipped with knives to buy a quantity of drugs.
"There is no reason for the intruders to have weapons to protect themselves against the occupier. The purpose of knives is to gain entry by using force against Mr Crook.
"They enable them to gain entry into the flat and at that stage this is a robbery. I invite you to focus on what happened at the door.
"By the time Mr Crook retreated to the bedroom, when you think about his wounds, he was already mortally wounded and was in no state to put up any resistance. The battle was won at the back door.
"Nobody is suggesting Mr Crook told them to help themselves or wanted to give his goods away. They helped themselves to whatever they could carry and what they took, they took by robbing him.
"Looking at it in the round, we say the robbery is proved and we say it was a robbery agreed and arranged by the group and carried to completion by the group.
"This was not a one man or a two man effort but a proper team effort. We say it was a joint enterprise."
The five QCs representing the defendants are now giving their closing speeches. All the defendants deny knowing that violence was going to be used and say it was a drug deal that went wrong.
They also blame each other for the fatal injuries with Singleton saying the stabbing was carried out by Twigger and Martin and the others saying Singleton inflicted the fatal injuries.
Richardson denies even going into the flat and Webster says he stayed in the car and believed the others had gone to buy drugs rather than carry out a robbery.
Ends
The trial continues and I do not expect to file again this week. I will do a piece when the jury go out probably Tues.
