Abdul Deghayes 'stabbed to death in short but vicious attack'

Abdul Deghayes - whose three brothers left the UK to fight in the Middle East - was killed in Brighton in February 2019.

The 22-year-old was stabbed eight times by a drug dealer known as "Frank", who was then smuggled out of the city with the help of his criminal associate, prosecutors say.

Two men are appearing at Hove Crown Court for trial in connection with the killing.

Opening the case on Tuesday, prosecutor Adam Feest QC said: "During the late evening of Saturday February 16 of this year an Abdul Deghayes was fatally stabbed in a driveway at Hanover Court, in Brighton.

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"He managed to leave that scene - even though he had been stabbed a number of times - with the help of his friend Colby Broderick, but he collapsed in the car he was travelling in just around the corner."

This caused the car to crash, the jury heard, and emergency services were called.

Despite paramedics rushing to the scene and arriving promptly, Mr Deghayes bled to death before they could save him.

Daniel Macleod, 36, of Gypsy Road, Lambeth, south London, is charged with Mr Deghayes' murder.

Stephen Burns, 55, of Lennox Street, Brighton, is charged with assisting Macleod following the alleged murder.

He is accused of helping Macleod get away from the scene and from Brighton, and with changing clothes and concealing evidence, the trial heard.

Both men deny the offences.

Mr Feest told the jury that Mr Deghayes' presence in Hanover Court was "drug-related".

He continued: "He had telephoned a drug dealer known to him as 'Frank' to buy some drugs.

"Frank, the Crown say, came to the scene with another, but Frank got out of the car which he arrived in alone to meet with Mr Deghayes."

The prosecutor said that "Frank" was an alias of Macleod, and that it was he who killed Mr Deghayes in the brutal attack.

Mr Feest said that Macleod was identified by Mr Broderick, who was riding in the car with Mr Deghayes.

"It is the Crown's case that Abdul Deghayes was killed by the First Defendant (Macleod), stabbing him a number of times in what may have been a short attack, but a vicious attack nonetheless."

Following the stabbing, the prosecution alleged that Macleod was transported around Brighton that night by Burns using different vehicles, who later took him back to Crawley, West Sussex, at the end of the night.

The jury heard that Macleod will seek to rely on self-defence to explain his actions, and will argue that he acted lawfully in response to Mr Deghayes attacking him with a knife.

The prosecution told the jury they anticipate Burns will say he had "no knowledge" of the attack on Mr Deghayes.

The trial heard that Macleod and Burns, together with another man named as Abdi Dahir, were involved in a "significant drug dealing operation".

Police found large amounts of drugs, money and other drug paraphernalia found at addresses linked to the trio, the court heard.

Prosecutor Mr Feest said the exact motive for the killing may never be known, but it may be related to an allegation that Mr Deghayes had recently robbed Burns of drugs.

"It may well be that the stabbing was in some form revenge for that perceived slight."

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb warned jurors about the evidence they will hear during the trial.

She said: "You will not be doing your duty as the community requires if you allow emotion to affect your judgement.

"You will see some images of blood and you will hear some evidence that I am sure will be raw and cause emotion.

"These things are inevitable when we are dealing with a case such as this."

Two of Mr Deghayes' teenage brothers, including his twin, died fighting in Syria.

Abdullah was killed in 2016 aged 18 while their brother Jaffar, 17, was killed in 2014 while trying to overthrow Bashar Assad's government.

They are survived by fourth brother, Amer, a former finance student, who also travelled to Syria.

The trial continues.