The jury in a 'drugs war' murder trial have retired to consider their verdict.

During closing statements on Tuesday they were told the killing was a "cruel and deliberate retribution" committed during a battle over who controlled supply in Maidstone.

Prosecutor Richard Barraclough QC, in his final speech, said: "You may think that these defendants, all of them, knew that to sell and distribute crack and heroin is a truly awful and despicable thing; that crack creates a dependency and that crack and heroin are dangerous for the vulnerable."

But he urged the jury not to judge the men "on emotion, whether a revulsion against county lines London drug dealers, sympathy for the deceased or sadness for wasted youth."

Kevin Roach, 40, of Peace Close, South Croydon; Alfie Caparn, 18, from Streatham, south London; Rodney Harris, 38, of Mann Close, Croydon; and Julian Grant, 28, of Tull Street, Mitcham have all denied murdering Wesley Adyinka in Knightrider Street, Maidstone, at midnight on February 9 last year and wounding his lover Amanda Francis with intent.

The prosecution case is the murder was "all to do with drug dealing and the expansion of drug dealing territories and the desire for power and control in Maidstone by London drug dealers, " Mr Barraclough told the jury.

The trial, which began in November, has resumed at Maidstone Crown Court following the Christmas and New Year break.

It is alleged the four defendants had returned to Maidstone after one of the gang had been set on days earlier and robbed.

Mr Barraclough said: "There followed a trip by the four, at least one armed with a knife, to discover who set the robbery up.

"They enlisted the help of a man with a criminal record for violence.

"Once they found out who had done it, cruel and deliberate retribution followed."

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The prosecutor has alleged that Roach stabbed Mr Adyinka in the heart before stabbing Francis in the thigh outside Chaucer House.

He added: "The others were part and parcel of the attack by their involvement in arranging it and organising transport to Maidstone.

"They also enticed Mr Adyinka and Ms Francis to Chaucer House where he was murdered... after the murder all four drove back to their territory in the London area."

Roach has claimed he was acting in self-defence and feared an acid attack.

Referring to the alleged driving forces being the killing prosecutor added Grant's attitude to dealing and drug addicts was "devastatingly lacking in any compassion" shown by what he told the jury: "I don't see the point of killing them... as they are killing themselves."

The prosecutor said: "For him and of course for those others involved, the rewards are huge — £1,500 to £2,000 a day.

"That is why Grant has been dealing hard drugs for years and what he says about partying and supplying cocaine to 'happy' people is baloney."

Harris wasn't in the dock as the jury retired after the van bringing him to Maidstone broke down. He arrived later.

KMTV report on the case

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