FISE AMES MURDER TRIAL: Closing speeches to start as hearing reaches final stages

Shaun Riches, Michael Raine and Scott Mitchell are accused of killing Faisal Ames Abdou in a deadly knife attack at his home in South Shields, in March.

Mr Abdou, who was living with Brandon Cairns at Marshall Wallis Road at the time, died as a result of blood loss from stab wounds to his legs.

All three men deny murder and are being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

The trial has now reached the stage where all of the evidence has been heard.

Jurors will now hear closing speeches by prosecution and defence barristers before Judge Penny Moreland sums up the case.

The jury will then retire to consider its verdicts.

The court has heard the three accused men and their alleged victim lived in a "dark and dangerous world", "a world where violence was common place" and were drug users.

The three men all told jurors they had gone to the flat that night to visit Mr Cairns with some MDMA and did not know Mr Abdou was living there.

During his evidence, Raine denied any involvement in any violence.

Riches admitted he stabbed Mr Abdou, who he claimed was armed but said it was "in self defence" and "he would have tried to kill one of us".

Mitchell told jurors he had punched Mr Abdou, who he said had tried to hit him and came at him with a knife .

Riches, 24, of Wycliffe Avenue, Newcastle, Raine, 35, of Grace House, Percy Main, and Mitchell, 25, of no fixed abode, all deny murder.

The trial continues.