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A schoolboy who came across an abandoned mobile phone at the scene of an accident, dutifully handed it over to police.
The youngster believed it belonged to one of the drivers involved, Maidstone Crown Court was told.
But when officers forensically examined the device, it became a vital clue in a murder hunt.
This is because it belonged to Jamie Webb, who hours earlier had been found stabbed seven times at his home in Hamerton Road, Northfleet.
The person who is alleged to have jettisoned the mobile is Harry Harris, who has pleaded not guilty to murder and to possessing a knife.
Harris, of Stanway Close, Chigwell is expected to claim self-defence.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan told the jury: "On February 4 last year James Webb – known to his family as Jamie – was murdered by Harry Harris.
"Harris went to Mr Webb's home armed with a large knife and expecting a conflict.
"He took the largest of three knives, which tells you a lot about his intentions.
"He inflicted a multitude of injuries, including applying pressure to his neck, killing him."
She alleged Harris then tried to cover up his actions by lying to the police.
"There is no doubt there was a struggle between Mr Webb and Harris and there is no doubt Mr Webb fought back to try to save himself...to save his life.
"Harris inflicted seven stab wounds to Mr Webb's head and his back. He then knelt on his bleeding body and applied pressure to his neck area.
"And when he did, the prosecution say, he was not acting to defend himself, he was intending at least to do Mr Webb very serious harm."
Ms Morgan said the two men knew each other through the mother of an ex-partner of Harris.
"At the time of this incident, Jamie Webb had either supplied drugs or was involved in the supply of drugs which resulted in Harris owing £400.
"It was that debt that triggered the events on February 3 and 4, " she added.
Ms Morgan claimed Harris drove to Mr Webb's address but parked his car in College Road and walked to the house at 9.16pm.
Three and a half hours later, Harris left the house with Mr Webb's mobile phones, his car and house keys, a TV remote and a claw hammer.
Days earlier Mr Webb, 44, had sent a text message to Harris saying "a mate" wanted the money for the drugs or would be "coming to your gaff".
She said after the death, Harris used one of his victim's phones to call the police – claiming he had been passing when he saw an incident and saw someone covered in blood.
"He then disposed of one of Mr Webb's phones and both of his phones and the set of keys, which he threw away in College Road."
The prosecutor said after the killing, Harris drove along the A127 in Essex when he "chucked" the other of Mr Webb's phones out the window.
She added: "He must have thrown it out thinking it would never be found and it would never be linked to him.
"Quite by chance, at 8am the following day, there was a road traffic incident on that road. A schoolboy on his way to school found the phone.
"Thinking it was connected to the accident, he handed it in thinking he was helping the emergency services."
Ms Morgan said police later identified it as one of the two phones belonging to Mr Webb.
The trial continues
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