Man mowed down in drugs rampage murder, court told

A drug addict used his pickup truck to murder a man in a brutal attempt to get hold of crack cocaine, a court has heard.

Arlind Xhokola, 26, suffered fatal rib and spine injuries when he was pinned to a tree by the vehicle, allegedly driven by Jeremy Heath, in Harlow, Essex, on 29 March.

Prosecutors at Chelmsford Crown Court said Xhokola "stood no chance". They said that, desperate for drugs, 51-year-old Heath had also taken a car during a robbery earlier that day.

Heath, of Ladyshot, Harlow, denies murder, robbery, perverting the course of justice and possession of a knife.

The prosecution told the jury that Heath's friends Joe Jones, 38, and Matthew Arnold, 40, were also in the car and were present for the robbery, but they deny that.

Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, said the three men were addicted to crack cocaine and it was "in pursuit of that addiction" that Albanian national Xhokola was murdered.

He said in the hours before the alleged attack, Arnold had been in contact with a drugs line called "Albo 24/7 drops".

The three men had become desperate for crack cocaine, jurors were told, and went on to rob a man of his car at knifepoint, mistakenly believing it contained drugs.

After this, they were said to have abandoned the car and began touring Harlow in search of drugs.

Jackson said they came across Xhokola and two friends shortly before 17:30 GMT, with one defendant shouting "Oi, Albos", before a chase began.

He alleged Heath used his Mitsubishi truck "as a weapon" to smash through bollards and chase the group down a cycle path off Momples Road.

"[Heath] aimed it at Mr Xhokola, who was standing by the side of the cycle track by some trees," Jackson said.

"That's where he was hit by the truck and pinned to the tree. He stood no chance, killed by Jeremy Heath's intentional actions."

Jackson said the car was then driven to the end of the cycle path and set on fire "to destroy any evidence".

He added: "Joe Jones was heard to say to the defendant, Jeremy Heath, 'You've killed him' – and he said that repeatedly."

Jones, of Great Plumtree, Harlow, has also denied perverting the course of justice and possession of a knife.

Arnold, of Little Pynchons, Harlow, denies perverting the course of justice.

The trial, expected to last three weeks, continues.

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