A DRUG runner lashed out with a knife in self defence in a life or death struggle with a man who would later die of stab wounds, a court heard.

Reece McHutcherson, 20, said he feared he was going to die during a confrontation with Murdoch Brown in Greenstead, Colchester, in May 2019.

Taking to the witness box during the fourth week of a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, McHutcherson described how he had agreed to take up a job for a drug dealing line.

He said he arrived at a property in Woodrow Way, Colchester, with Jay Dice.

He described Dice as the man responsible for holding the drugs and the phone, while he would serve customers alongside another runner, Johnny Southgate.

Gazette:

McHutcherson said Dice was running the drugs line from a nearby flat in Charles Pell Way.

He detailed how, in the early hours of May 7, he served drugs to a group of customers in Buffett Way alongside Mr Southgate.

He said he and Mr Southgate were called over by Murdoch Brown and his brother Robert.

McHutcherson told the jury Murdoch grabbed him and put him a headlock, while calling for his pack of drugs.

The court heard McHutcherson managed to free himself.

He described how, after running and falling to the ground, he turned to find Murdoch standing over him brandishing a knife.

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“I moved around trying to avoid the knife as much as I can, kicking up to try and fend him off,” he said.

“I heard a clink of metal to the right of me.

“I looked down and saw the knife had dropped to the floor.”

McHutcherson said he got to the knife first.

“He was trying to take it out of my hands,” he said.

“He reached down and grabbed hold of my neck and pinned me down to the floor.”

He added: “I carried on moving the knife away from him.

“I thought if I don’t do something now I am going to die.”

McHutcherson said he struck out with the knife “more than once” before fleeing.

“I can’t remember what he said, but he screamed out in pain and anger,” he said.

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.

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.

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