A man teamed up with his brother-in-law to take revenge against a pub landlord he believed was having an affair with his wife, a jury has heard.

Portuguese Miguel Batista - known as Alex - and Craig Allen went into the Cricketers Inn in Wrotham Road, Meopham on November 5 last year intending on killing publican David Brown, it has been alleged.

The two hooded men armed themselves with a Rambo First Blood II knife, a silver knife and a shovel after forcing their way into 50-year-old Mr Brown's bedroom in the pub and launched an attack.

But a jury has heard how despite injuring Mr Brown, Batista later fled leaving Allen behind where he died from a knife wound, inflicted by Mr Brown as he defended himself.

Batista, of no fixed address, is on trial at Maidstone Crown Court accused of attempted murder, which he denies.

Prosecutor Toby Fitzgerald claimed: "This case concerns an incident which took place on November 5 last year.

"At about 9pm, David Brown, the landlord, was upstairs above the pub in his small flat. Alex, a former employee, came into the pub with Craig Allen, aged 35."

Mr Fitzgerald added that after going to the landlord's flat, they knocked on the door before "setting about attacking him".

"They both carried knives and both used knives to stab the landlord. Batista also had a spade and he used that during the attack. This was a joint attack with intent to murder, " he claimed.

He told the jury that the murderous attack took a "dramatic" twist when Mr Brown took an opportunity to defend himself by grabbing a knife.

"Batista ended up fleeing the pub, leaving South African-born Mr Brown seriously injured. Later that evening he was arrested near the M25," Mr Fitzgerald said.

The jury heard how Mr Brown became landlord of the Cricketers in November 2021 and in February 2022 he hired Batista and his partner, who then married on July 26, 2022 and lived together in a pub.

The prosecutor claimed Batista and his wife had a "stormy relationship" and on October 15 last year, the couple had been out with friends drinking at a local Turkish restaurant.

"The defendant became aggressive towards his wife and Mr Brown stepped in and [she] went to stay with a married couple.

"The following day the landlord spoke with Batista and told him he could not behave like that and if he did then he would have to leave his employment and his home.

"Mr Brown offered to help [her] but that would involve getting the police involved, " he added.

Five days later, Batista’s wife spoke to Mr Brown and as a result the landlord sent him a message saying: "Alex you need to move on now".

He sacked him and reported the incident to police.

Officers spoke with the couple and Batista was arrested and released and moved out of the upstairs flat - although he was allowed to sleep in a car in the Cricketers car park.

"As his world was crumbling, Batista began to believe that Mr Brown was having an affair with [his wife]. On November 3, he sent his wife a message which read: ‘This is killing me.’”

On November 5 the defendant's mood changed from downbeat to "set on revenge" against the man he viewed as "the author of his misfortune" after losing his job, home and wife.

"At 7.43pm on November 5, she called Batista saying she no longer wanted to be with him and he blamed the landlord for the break-up," Mr Fitzgerald told the court.

After forcing their way inside the flat Batista and Allen attacked the landlord by stabbing him and hitting him over the head with a spade.

During the attack, Batista tried to send a message to his wife on Mr Brown's phone but struggled and put the knife down to complete the task, it was alleged.

It was then that the landlord grabbed the knife to defend himself and as he attempted to flee the room, Allen was fatally stabbed, it was claimed.

The jury will visit the scene accompanied by the judge, court staff, barristers and police officers