Dealer on trial for murder says it was self-defence

Gavin Hubbard's family said he was "kind, wise, funny and loyal"

A county lines drug dealer who stabbed a young grandfather 22 times in a dispute about stolen drugs has told a jury she acted in self-defence.

Gavin Hubbard, 42, was fatally knifed at his home in Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire on 19 May.

The prosecution has said Mr Hubbard was a customer of Tuche Coskun and had robbed her, and she went to his house to cause him serious harm.

Ms Coskun, 21, of Enfield in north London, denies murder and a separate charge of grievous bodily harm after a friend of Mr Hubbard was injured at the house.

'Deeper in debt'

A jury at St Albans Crown Court has heard how Ms Coskun supplied heroin and cocaine, and that Mr Hubbard had admitted stealing drugs from her.

George Carter-Stephenson KC, defending, told the jury Ms Coskun felt trapped by debts to her supplier.

"She cannot repay him, he knows where she lives and her family live, and the sort of retribution that might come if she can't repay the debt."

The prosecution has said Ms Toskun went to Mr Hubbard's home with a knife to cause him serious harm and get her drugs back.

He died due to excessive blood loss after receiving nine deep stab wounds and 13 slice wounds.

But Mr Carter-Stephenson told the jury how: "Mr Hubbard had a reputation for violence."

He said the injuries happened "during a serious struggle when the defendant believed if Mr Hubbard got control of the knife, he would cause her very serious injury".

The jury has heard he had several previous convictions for assault and possession of a knife. He had started taking drugs after his wife died from cancer.

''Sorry, I didn't mean it to be this way'

Mr Carter-Stephenson explained how Ms Coskun had fallen into drug dealing after losing her job at a warehouse, and wanted to help her mother.

"She was not well suited or equipped to be a drug dealer. She's too nice.

"She keeps getting robbed, she doesn't carry a weapon. Don't think because she's involved in drug dealing she's more likely to have committed a crime."

The court heard how Tuche Coskun told the police "I've stabbed him to death" and then said to his friend, "Sorry, I didn't mean it to be this way".

People who knew Ms Coskun described her as "caring and responsible".

The prosecution case is that Ms Coskun was motivated by revenge and carried out "an ambush to seek reparation for him having taken her drugs".

His honour Judge Mann KC told the jury they must decide whether Ms Coskun caused Mr Hubbard's death deliberately and unlawfully, in order for her to be convicted of murder.

He has offered the jury an alternative verdict of manslaughter.

The case continues.