Man died after attack by drug dealers, trial told

A man died after being repeatedly kicked by two drug dealers outside his Birmingham home, a murder trial has heard.

Craig Dean, 53, died in hospital two days after suffering serious injuries from the attack by Hamza Khan and Mohammed Rahman in Kings Heath in July last year, said prosecutors outlining the case against both men.

Khan, 23, of Anderton Park Road in Moseley and Rahman, 25, of Mapleton Grove in Hall Green, both deny murder and an alternative count of manslaughter.

At Birmingham Crown Court, prosecutor Matthew Brook KC said the events of July followed an argument during a text message exchange between the defendants and their alleged victim.

Dean, known as Yankee, was a drugs line customer and had been texting the defendants on the day of the attack, the court heard.

At about 16:50 BST on the day in question, Dean was outside his house on Springfield Road when the defendants arrived in a black Vauxhall Corsa, the prosecution stated.

Brook told the proceedings: "Both defendants got out of the car and both defendants attacked Craig Dean.

"That attack included kicking him numerous times [while] he lay on the ground.

"The defendants then walked back to their car and drove off, leaving Craig Dean as he lay seriously injured..."

The opening of the trial was told the incident was not caught on CCTV, but was witnessed by several passers-by.

Brook continued: "Despite the medical care which Craig Dean received he could not be saved and he died two days later in hospital, having never regained consciousness.

"The prosecution allege that both defendants are guilty of murder.

"They deny that.

"[While] both defendants accept being present during a violent incident with Craig Dean, they say he was the aggressor and they were acting in lawful self-defence."

The court heard that it was not in dispute that Khan was driving the Corsa, while Rahman was the front seat passenger.

The Crown's KC told the jury that the two men were operating a drugs line called Ace, through which callers ordered drugs to their homes.

Dean, who was found with wraps of heroin and crack cocaine in his hand, had told his partner that Ace was angry with him because someone had ordered drugs from them and then gone to a different dealer, the court heard.

The trial continues.

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