John Wright murder: Stockton victim was beaten over fake money drug deal

John Wright was hit repeatedly with a baton and stabbed once, prosecutors say

A drug dealer accused of murdering a man wanted to hit him with a cosh as punishment for paying for crack cocaine with fake money, a court has heard.

John Wright, 41, died after being attacked with a baton and knife in Stockton on 29 December 2019.

Kienan Johnson hit him with the baton and Jordan Vaughan stabbed him with a knife, Teesside Crown Court has heard.

Both deny murder. The court has heard Mr Wright suffered multiple injuries but a single stab wound killed him.

'Not happy'

Mr Johnson, 22, told jurors he got to know Mr Vaughan, 21, a couple of weeks before the fatal attack on Mr Wright and the pair sold crack cocaine together in the Bousefield area of Stockton.

He said Mr Wright bought drugs from them most days, but a day or two before the attack he gave the pair counterfeit bank notes, the court heard.

Mr Johnson said he was "not happy" about the trick and intended to hit Mr Wright "two or three times with the cosh" so he "didn't do it again".

When they came across Mr Wright on a green near Parliament Street, Mr Johnson said he hit him on the legs two or three times and on the arm and hand with "a bit of force" with the baton.

Asked if he meant to seriously harm or kill Mr Wright, Mr Johnson replied: "No I didn't".

'Didn't know about knife'

He said he then walked away from Mr Wright, but turned to see Mr Vaughan and Mr Wright shouting at each other, before Mr Wright reached to get something that "looked like a brick" and Mr Vaughan pulled Mr Wright close to him.

Asked if he saw a knife or knew Mr Vaughan had one, Mr Johnson said no.

He also said he did not know Mr Wright had been stabbed until later when Mr Vaughan told him.

In his police interview, Mr Johnson said he deliberately stayed away from Mr Wright's head as he himself suffered a serious head injury two years previously which left him in a coma.

Mr Johnson, of Windsor Road in Stockton, admits possessing a baton and Mr Vaughan, of Harlow Crescent in Thornaby, a knife.

The trial continues.