A COURT heard how a father who was fatally stabbed had been trying to help his brother who owed money to drug dealers.

Murdoch Brown, 31 died after being stabbed in Buffett Way, Colchester in May 2019.

Mr Brown’s brother Robert was also hurt in the incident.

Three people were charged with Mr Brown’s murder and are standing trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Toyn Williams, 29, of Winchester Road, Hale End in east London, Jay Dice, 23, of Mayville Leyonstone and Reece McHutcherson, 20, of Pillow Way, Buckingham, deny the charge.

The trial began yesterday.

Tracy Ayling, prosecuting told the jury “this is a case all about drug dealing.”

She added: “It is about a known drugs line, known in this case as the JR line.”

Mrs Ayling told the court Robert regularly purchased drugs from the line and owed money.

On the evening of May 7, 2019, Mr Brown agreed to go with his brother to explain why his brother had not paid his debts.

Mrs Ayling said: “Murdoch Brown agreed to accompany him to discuss why he hadn’t paid.

“Both brothers caught a train from Braintree to Colchester.

“When they arrived to meet two men, Robert began explaining himself before the attackers each pulled out knives.

“The brothers began running from their respective attackers.

“Robert stumbled and fell to the ground when he heard Murdoch scream ‘alright that’s enough, leave it out’.”

Read more: What court heard on first day of murder trial

Mr Brown was stabbed three times in the leg and later went into cardiac arrest and died in an ambulance on the way to Colchester Hospital.

The knives involved in the murder have never been found.

A post-mortem examination revealed the force of the stabbing categorised the injuries as ‘severe,’, the highest used by pathologists.

Williams, Dice and McHutcherson also deny attempted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to Robert Brown.

McHutcherson and Dice have already admitted to the supply of Class A drugs.

Kaley Hodgkinson, 31 of Harles Pell Road, Colchester, is standing trial charged with assisting an offender.

Hodgkinson, Dice and McHutcherson are also charged with perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.