THE alleged 'mastermind' of a murder could not have organised the fatal plot but did pervert the course of justice by helping his brother flee the country in the aftermath, a jury was told.

Mohammed Saddam Hussain could not possibly have been the orchestrator of the stabbing of Colton Bryan inside his Redditch flat said his barrister, Balraj Bhatia QC, who delivered his closing speech at Worcester Crown Court today (Tuesday, February 9).

Mr Bryan, 22, was stabbed to death inside his flat in Guinness Close, Redditch shortly after 9.30pm on July 15 last year.

The trial is now entering its final stages with the prosecution closing speech finishing on Monday and defence closing speeches held today (Tuesday).

Adam Carpenter, 21, of Wharrington Hill, Redditch, Faisal Fiaz, 21, of Millsbro Road, Redditch and Mohammed Saddam Hussain, 25, of Oakfield Avenue, Birmingham are on trial at Worcester Crown Court. All three men deny murder and conspiracy to rob.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Hammed Hussain, the brother of defendant Mohammed Saddam Hussain, left the country, boarding the first available flight to Pakistan after the stabbing.

The stabbing involved a large hunting knife nine inches long. Meanwhile, Hammad Hussain is still being sought by the authorities in connection with the alleged murder.

Mr Bryan was stabbed five times - once to the left arm, once to the back and three times to the chest. One of those wounds went into the chest and out through the right armpit.

Mr Bhatia said his client, Saddam Hussain, had given a 'warts and all' account of himself from the witness box, including telling the panel about a previous conviction for possession of cannabis.

He had also told the jury he was not aware of what his brother or those associated with him were up to on the day of the stabbing. "He didn't have to give evidence. He's assisted you in every way he can" said Mr Bhatia.

The barrister told the panel that 'the theory' advanced by the prosecution was not supported by the facts and that the case against his client was based on 'entirely circumstantial evidence'.

He told the jury that the prosecution case had been that there had been 'a drugs turf war' and those accused of the murder and conspiracy to rob 'wanted to get rid of a rival drug dealer in Redditch'. However, he said Saddam Hussain had no significant previous convictions and the jury had already been invited to treat him as a man of good character.

When he was arrested, no drugs or scales were found at his house although Saddam Hussain had accepted supplying cannabis to his co-defendant, Carpenter, on two or three occasions.

"There is not a shred of evidence that he knew him (Mr Bryan). He doesn't know he exists. There's no suggestion that he knows of him, no suggestion he knows he's a drug dealer in cannabis" said the barrister.

The advocate said the idea that Saddam Hussain had been party to a plan to kill Mr Bryan 'doesn't make sense, does it?'

Mr Bhatia told the jury that the Crown said his client was the 'orchestrator and organiser' of the killing, the 'mastermind' and 'the brains behind the killing'. Yet cell site analysis (mobile phone evidence) showed that Saddam Hussain was in Birmingham 'miles away' at the time of the killing and argued that there was limited phone contact between his client and his co-defendants.

"If he's in Birmingham, how does he know what on earth is happening at Redditch at that particular time, that crucial time? He has no way of knowing," he said to the jury.

The barrister argued that if Saddam Hussain had been the organiser and orchestrator of the plot 'you would expect a flurry of calls beforehand'. However, there was 'not a single text at the crucial and critical times' and 'nobody called him'.

"It's other people that come to assist, to help clean the car, to burn the clothes, to leave the carpark. He simply has no idea, does he? He simply has no idea what is going on. Why is that? Because he was never party to any of it" said the advocate.

He went on to say that Saddam Hussain's first knowledge of the murder came when his brother called him and told him: "I stabbed someone. I need a flight."

It was only then there was a 'flurry of calls' with Mr Bhatia arguing that Saddam Hussain was reacting to information he had received from his brother.

He said earlier messages from his client were to his girlfriend or messages about 'putting brakes on' a car and 'eating chicken nuggets'. Mr Bhatia said his client had already admitted perverting the course of justice by helping his brother escape the country.

"He has accepted what he did was wrong in law. It was wrong morally. He will have to be punished for that in due course" said Mr Bhatia. However, he said what happened beforehand his client 'had no knowledge of'/

Judge James Burbidge QC, who has presided over the trial, could begin summing up the case by tomorrow (Wednesday). The trial continues.