Dwayne Forrester murder trial: Pitsea victim was 'muscling onto patch'

Prosecutors said Dwayne Forrester, 21, was "muscling in" on customers of a another "county lines" drug supply

Two county lines drug dealers murdered a 21-year-old man because he was "muscling in on their customers", a court heard.

Dwayne Forrester suffered a single stab wound to the chest in Basildon, Essex, on 7 July, 2018.

Two men from east London - Hayden Line, 25, of Rainham, and Jeffrey Goodwin, 26, of Canning Town, deny murder.

The prosecution opened its case on the first day of their trial at Basildon Crown Court on Monday.

Prosecutor Edward Brown KC said: "They were angered by the deceased who had started selling drugs on their patch, muscling in on their customers and therefore on their profits."

Hayden Line is accused of inflicting the fatal stab wound on Dwayne Forrester (pictured)

He told the jury that the defendants dealt heroin and crack cocaine in the Pitsea area, using the "Ali" phone line, while Mr Forrester used a number called the "Smalls".

'Shared intent'

Mr Brown said that it was Mr Line, of Esmond Close, who inflicted the fatal wound, but Mr Goodwin, of Russell Road, was there and "shared Line's intention" to cause him serious harm.

The jury heard the victim suffered "abrasions" which showed signs of a fight during the attack in Little Garth.

They were told there were no eyewitnesses to the attack, which happened at about 20:40 BST, but that a member of the public attempted CPR.

Mr Forrester was pronounced dead at hospital, with a cause of death recorded as a "stab wound to the aorta".

A member of the public attempted CPR where Dwayne Forrester was found in Pitsea

The knife was "apparently bought from a souvenir shop in Southend".

Mr Brown added: "The drug dealing trade is a lucrative one.

"Drug dealers do not involve themselves in such a trade unless it is.

"It is illegal, dangerous, attracts significant risks and, when needed, it is ruthless, so it needs to be lucrative."

The trial continues.