Twins killed drug user after being 'ripped off'

Shane Boxall, 44, was a heroin user and had taken the twins' money before shutting the door on them, the court heard

A "vulnerable" man was killed by twin brothers after they smashed their way into his flat and felt "ripped off" when they tried to buy drugs from him, a court has heard.

Shane Boxall, 44, was assaulted at his home on Alaska Street, Hull, shortly before 06:00 BST on 25 April and died in hospital two days later.

Hull Crown Court heard Mr Boxall, who was a heroin user, had taken money from twins Kailum and Kieran Nightingale when they went to buy Class A drugs from him. The brothers forced their way into Mr Boxall's home and punched him causing fatal injuries.

Both men deny murder and the trial continues.

Jurors heard Mr Boxall died from a single punch to the head sustained in the twins' attack.

Prosecutor James Bourne-Arton KC told jurors the Nightingale twins "barged" into the 44-year-old's home at about 05:45 and Mr Boxall locked himself in his bedroom.

He said the pair then "smashed the bedroom door down to get to Mr Boxall" before Kailum threw the fatal punch.

Defence barrister Peter Makepeace said his client, Kailum Nightingale, 26, of Poplar Grove, Hull, accepted he tried to buy drugs from Mr Boxall and kicked the door to get his money back.

He had "reasonably struck him to retrieve his stolen money" and "couldn't have possibly known the consequences", the barrister said.

'Nicest person'

Mr Makepeace said Mr Boxall had been holding a knife as he fled into the bedroom but dropped it when he was confronted by the twins.

The court heard, following the blow to his head, Mr Boxall fell to the floor and suffered a seizure.

Mr Makepeace said the brothers stayed in the living room after the attack and were later forced out of the house by a flatmate.

Katherine Goddard, defending Kieran Nightingale, 26, of Vermont Crescent, Hull, told the court: "No-one says they saw Kieran deliver that fatal blow, nor make any movements to deliver that fatal blow."

In video evidence played to the jury, Mr Boxall's flatmate said she saw the brothers "stood on top of Mr Boxall" and shout "I'm gonna kill ya, I'm gonna kill ya" before punching him on the right side of his head.

"I saw the look on his face before he got punched and he was so scared," she said in the video evidence.

She described how she "got in between the twins and Mr Boxall" to shield the 44-year-old and told the brothers to "just leave him".

Jurors also heard Mr Boxall being described as "the nicest person" by his flatmate.

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