Brothers lure Gosport dealer to his death in frenzied cocaine robbery, court hears
Two brothers armed with knives lured a Gosport drug dealer to his death when he was stabbed in a frenzied cocaine robbery, a court heard.
Levi Kent, 22, died after being knifed six times in the chest after agreeing to sell cocaine to Tommy West, 18, and his brother Aiden West, 24. The brothers, who only had £10 between them, planned to rob Levi of the drugs worth between £180 to £300 after he refused to defer payment on the deal, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.
Tommy West, of Fisgard Road in Gosport, has admitted charges of murder, robbery and possession of a blade. His half-brother Aiden West, of Tudor Close, Gosport, is on trial for murder and possession of a bladed article after prosecutors alleged the killing was a “joint enterprise”. He denies the charges.
The court heard how Tommy West was messaging and phoning Levi as he sought to buy cocaine on November 24 last year. He arranged to meet Levi behind shops in Nobes Avenue with his brother while armed after Levi had rejected deferring payment.
Prosecutor Nicholas Haggan KC told jurors that Levi was “spooked” when he initially arrived at the scene in his Corsa car after spotting a second man he was not expecting - Aiden West - approaching his vehicle. He drove off from the scene before the brothers returned to a friend’s flat nearby.
Tommy West then messaged Levi via Facebook back at the flat, asking: “What you playing at geez?” He followed this up with a call which friends at the flat overheard. “It was clear Levi Kent thought the brothers were going to rob him and that’s why he drove off,” Mr Haggen said.
“They denied it and said they had money to pay for the drugs and sadly persuaded Levi Kent to return. When the brothers left the flat Tommy West had a large knife and a T-shirt to put over his head and Aiden West a smaller knife with a bandana to cover his face.”
Levi returned to the scene before he was attacked at 2.24am, with the barrister telling the court the “precise sequence is unclear”. But he told jurors Tommy West opened the passenger door before “stabbing Levi when he was sat in the driver’s seat”.
Mr Haggen continued: “It seems Levi Kent pushed down so hard on the accelerator the pedal jammed and the engine was at full throttle. The vehicle then shot across the road and crashed into a wall and garages on the opposite side of Bridgemary Medical Centre.
“Somehow Levi Kent then got out of the vehicle and was chased by Tommy West and Aiden West.”
The brothers chased Levi into the adjoining Keyes Road where a neighbour heard a “bang” before looking out the window to see three males she recognised running before witnessing the attack.
“Tommy West hit Levi Kent to the head and as a result he fell to the ground. Aiden West hit Levi Kent to the head and side several times as he was laying on the floor,” Mr Haggen said. “Tommy West then pulled out a knife and stabbed Levi Kent several times.”
The prosecutor added: “Tommy West then asks, ‘Have you got it (the drugs)?’ and he (Aiden West) replies, ‘Yeah.’” The pair then fled the scene.
Emergency crews were called to the area just after 2.30am after neighbours reported the crashed car before Levi was found fatally injured. He was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital before he was pronounced dead at 3.47am.
Meanwhile, Peter West, 42, of Fisgard Road, and Michael Figgins, 64, of St Ann's Crescent, are also on trial, with each charged with two counts of assisting an offender.
Others also charged in the matter include the brothers’ mother Joanne West, 45, of no fixed address, who was charged with two counts of assisting an offender.
Sarah Flynn, 36, of James Close in Gosport, was charged with two counts of assisting an offender. Liam Savage, 37, of Trinity Green in Gosport, was also charged with two counts of assisting an offender.
(Proceeding)