Sidney Cooper and Charlie Cooper on trial over death of Courtney Jones

Courtney Jones, 26, died at Southampton General Hospital on August 25 after the attack in Salisbury Road, Totton.

Winchester Crown Court was told today – at the start of a three-week trial – how Sidney Cooper, 26, and Charlie Cooper, 19, carried out that attack.

The court was told how Sidney stabbed Mr Jones in his side with a kitchen knife "at least twice".

(Courtney Jones)

Both Sidney, of no fixed abode, and Charlie, of Ashby Road, Totton, deny murdering Mr Jones, of Deerlands Avenue, Sheffield.

Prosecutor Adam Feest QC told the court Mr Jones had been visiting his friend at the address in Salisbury Road that evening, while the Cooper brothers were in a nearby home.

He said sometime after 7pm, the pair had tried to get into the home in Mr Jones was in.

When Mr Jones came out to confront them, he was attacked.

Mr Feest described it as a "frenzied" attack, in which Mr Jones was punched, stamped on, and hit with a brick.

Turning to the motive, Mr Feest said: "It may well be illegal drugs played its part."

He added that Mr Jones was a known drug dealer.

The court was told that both men denied murdering Mr Jones after being arrested, both saying they had been confronted by Mr Jones who had the knife, and they were acting in self-defence.

In a prepared statement to police, Sidney said: "I was unaware [Mr Jones] had suffered a knife wound."

Both deny murder.

The trial continues...