A PAIR of drug dealers intent on meting out some summary justice to a man they believed had ‘wronged them’ fatally attacked him with a knife and extendable baton, a court heard.

John Wright suffered a 13 cm-deep knife wound to his back and several baton marks to his legs and back before he collapsed in the street and died despite the best efforts of the Great North Air Ambulance medics.

Jordan Vaughan and Kienan Johnson are accused of murdering the 41-year-old in Stockton last Christmas over an unpaid drug debt.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the pair carried out their 'cowardly attack' on Mr Wright in broad daylight when they set about him with the knife and baton.

The Northern Echo: John WrightJohn Wright

John Elvidge QC, prosecuting, said: "Each drew and used his weapon even though they were the younger man and there were two of them against one older man.

“Unlike them he wasn’t walking the streets of Stockton armed with a weapon.”

He added the pair did nothing to help Mr Wright and were caught on CCTV inside a nearby takeaway 'fist-bumping' each other in a celebratory way after leaving him fatally injured on Parliament Street.

"The reason they attacked John Wright was because, as Kienan Johnson was to message a friend, Mr Wright had wronged them," he added.

"This was a reference to drug debt owed by Mr Wright and these defendants were involved in that business. The purpose of their attack was to demonstrate the consequences of robbing, or let me put this another way, short-changing or diddling those who were concerned in the supply of drugs in Stockton.

"By doing what they did, they were enhancing their own reputations."

The jurors heard how Vaughan, 21, of Harlow Crescent, Thornaby, has pleaded guilty to possessing a knife and Johnson, 22, of Windsor Road, Stockton, has pleaded guilty to possession of the extendable baton.

The Northern Echo: Floral tributes to Mr Wright were laid on Parliament Street, StocktonFloral tributes to Mr Wright were laid on Parliament Street, Stockton (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Mr Elvidge said the pair had set out to cause ‘really serious harm’ to Mr Wright and although he says it was Vaughan who struck the fatal blow with the knife both defendants played a part in the murder of the 41-year-old.

The trial continues.