TWO men have appeared in the dock accused of their part in the murder of Abdul Deghayes.

Daniel MacLeod, 36, denies the killing at Elm Grove, Brighton, which has an alleged drugs background.

The labourer appeared at Hove Crown Court wearing glasses, a blue suit and red tie.

He appeared alongside Stephen Burns, 55, who is accused of assisting Mr MacLeod by helping him leave the scene near St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, provide new clothes, and conceal evidence.

Abdul Deghayes, 22, was found with stab wounds in a car at 9.30pm on Saturday February 16. He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital where he died the next morning.

Mrs Justice Parmjit Kaur Cheema-Grubb, a High Court judge, told jurors that he was stabbed, and said: "This is a murder trial.

"The first defendant is alleged to have stabbed a man to death. The second defendant is alleged to have assisted him.

"There is an alleged drugs background to this case. The man who died was Abdul Deghayes, and the place it happened was Elm Grove in Brighton."

The judge told jurors that it would be an "interesting" case and that they would need to be available to serve until December 6.

Mr Deghayes' father Abubaker Deghayes, a former leader of the Al Quds Mosque in Brighton, described his son as a "cheerful guy" with lots of friends.

Flowers were left at the scene in the aftermath of the incident.

The Argus:

Abdul was the twin brother of Abdullah Deghayes, and older brother of Jaffar Deghayes, who both died as teenagers fighting in Syria for Islamist fighters against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad.

Meanwhile his uncle Omar Deghayes had been held as a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay.

Mr MacLeod, of Gypsy Road, Lambeth, denies murder, and is being represented by barristers Joseph Henry QC and his junior Edward Fenner.

Mr Burns, of Lennox Street, Brighton, denies assisting an offender, and is being represented by barristers Philippa McAtasney QC and her junior Charles MacDonald.

He wore a black jacket and trousers, with spectacles, and walked into the dock using crutches. He had a copy of a newspaper in his back pocket.

The case will be prosecuted by Adam Feest QC, with his junior Gemma White.

Mr Feest QC told jurors that there were a number of witnesses at Hanover Court in Elm Grove who contacted the police.

The faces of defendants and witnesses were shown on a screen to see if potential jurors recognised anyone involved in the case.