A MAN accused of murder fled to Brussels and then to the Caribbean after learning of the death of a man he stabbed, a court heard.

Three people are charged with murdering Murdoch Brown, 31.

Mr Brown, 31, was stabbed three times in the leg in Buffett Way, Colchester, in May 2019, and later died in hospital.

A murder trial entered its fourth week at Chelmsford Crown Court today.

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

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

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

Gazette: Murdoch Brown died after suffering stab woundsMurdoch Brown died after suffering stab wounds

Giving evidence, McHutcherson said after learning of Mr Brown’s death, he boarded a coach to Brussels, before returning the the UK and catching a flight to Barbados.

From Barbados, he travelled to Trinidad, where he has family, before returning to the UK.

McHutcherson told the court he first started selling drugs at the age of 13.

In cross-examination, prosecutor Allan Compton asked McHutcherson whether he ever thought about the drug users.

He said: “It is not like I’m forcing them to buy drugs. It’s like a shop, like Tesco.”

The trial continues.