A bust-up over drugs led to a 20-year-old man being stabbed SEVEN times inside a Folkestone flat, it has been claimed.

A doctor was flown by helicopter to close to the M20 to join the battle to try and save the life of Gus Allman but he died from his injuries.

Today, a jury at Canterbury Crown Court heard how drug-dealer Timothy Avril, 22, and pal Damian Daley, 39, are alleged to have murdered him. Both deny the charge.

Prosecutor James Mullholland QC claimed that Mr Allman arrived at a flat in 20, London Street in Folkestone shortly before 7pm on February 19.

"He died two hours later at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford," he said. "He was 20 years of age. He had been stabbed seven times inside the flat.

"The prosecution case is that Avril and Daley are responsible for his death, that they both stabbed him with different knives and that they are guilty of murder."

The prosecutor told the jury that there had been no independent eye-witnesses to the multiple stabbing, adding: "There are several differing and inconsistent versions of events that were provided by the various defendants as to what took place that night."

Mr Mullholland said that Avril "is by his own admission a drug-dealer" and police later found wraps of cocaine at the Dulwich home he shared with his mother.

He claimed that Avril travelled frequently from London to Folkestone to supply drug addicts and used the flat in London Street as a base.

"He rented Flat 2 from Laura Smith and used it as a base for his drug dealing activities. Laura Smith lived there with her boyfriend, Damian Daley."

Smith, 27, now of Harvey Street, Folkestone has pleaded not guilty to doing acts tending to pervert the course of public justice.

Mr Mulholland continued: "At some point after 7pm on that day, Avril and Daley were both inside the flat with Mr Allman, who had arrived with three others in a Silver Audi car which had stopped outside."

"They lied for some considerable time as to where Mr Allman was stabbed and deliberately provided a false trail for the police to follow..." - Prosecutor James Mulholland QC

The car driver, Dean Alford, 20, of Wadden Hall, Canterbury, and passenger Melech Marshall, 18, from New Cross, London have admitted charges of perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing.

A fourth man inside the Audi, Michael Williams, 20, from East Dulwich has denied the charge.

Mr Mullholland claimed: "Mr Allman went inside the flat and returned (to the car) minutes later having been stabbed."

A woman sitting in her own car in the same street then saw Daley heading towards the Audi acting aggressively and was in "some form of dispute with those inside the vehicle".

He claimed: "At one point she saw Daley bang on the car with a metallic object which she could hear."

Mr Mullholland added that the Audi then drove into Wood Avenue nearby and an ambulance was called by Alford.

"It is not known exactly why these two groups came together although you will hear there was a phone link between them.

"It is likely that Mr Allman's death was connected somehow with drugs and the money made from the sale of the drugs probably in Folkestone," he added.

"The case against Daley and Avril is based on circumstantial evidence, which is often compelling and devastating."

He told the jury that the evidence would show "unquestionably" that there were two attackers and the speed of their attack meant that Mr Allman had "no time to respond" and defend himself.

The prosecutor added that others had then "laid a false trail" to thwart the police investigation and that Smith had tried to clean up the blood inside the flat before officers arrived two days later.

"It is a significant feature that the investigation was immediately impeded by the actions of others.

"Those inside the Audi lied for some considerable time as to where Mr Allman was stabbed and deliberately provided a false trail for the police to follow," he claimed.

The trial continues.

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