Essex drug dealers admit manslaughter of Dwayne Forrester

Dwayne Forrester's family have described him as a "sweet, loving boy" who "loved to laugh"

Two drug dealers accused of murdering a 21-year-old man who was "muscling in on their customers" have admitted his manslaughter.

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

Hayden Line, 25, and Jeffrey Goodwin, 26, from east London, denied murder when their trial began on Monday.

Prosecutors, however, have accepted their guilty pleas to the lesser charge at Basildon Crown Court.

Dwayne Forrester, pictured in the white top, died from a single stab wound

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

The court had heard the defendants were "angered by the deceased who had started selling drugs on their patch, muscling in on their customers".

Line inflicted the fatal wound at about 20:40 BST in Little Garth, Pitsea, but a jury was told Goodwin "shared Line's intention" to cause him serious harm.

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

A reward of £10,000 via the charity Crimestoppers was previously offered as part of the investigation.

Essex Police said they had carried out an "extensive investigation" which included taking 400 statements, seizing 820 exhibits, and viewing more than 180 hours of CCTV footage.

Alton Brown (right), a karate champion, pictured in an old family photo with Dwayne Forrester, has said younger brother's killing "hurt so much"

Mr Forrester's family previously described him as a "sweet, loving boy" who "loved to laugh".

Senior investigating officer, Julie Gowen, said: "We have never given up trying to get justice for them.

"We have left no stone unturned, no avenue unexplored and today's conviction is the culmination of that work."

His older brother, Alton Brown, who is a karate champion, said in 2018: "It hurts so much to think that there are people out there who feel it is OK to do something like this."

Line, of Esmond Close, Rainham, and Goodwin, of Russell Road, Canning Town, are due to be sentenced on Friday.