TWO teenage boys appeared at Chester Crown Court today charged with murdering a man as they sold drugs in a Widnes park.

A 15-year-old boy is accused of stabbing 43-year-old Widnes dad Lee Briggs after a 16-year-old threatened him with a machete.

The fatal attack followed a confrontation in which Mr Briggs tried to steal drugs and money from the teenagers, holding one of them at knifepoint, the court heard.

The pair from Liverpool, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin, but deny murder.

Mr Briggs collapsed beside a basketball court at St Marie’s Community Park near the Tesco Extra store on Lugsdale Road after being stabbed at around 4.45pm on Monday, May 16, the court heard.

Paramedics and police officers tried to save him but he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Whiston Hospital at 5.35pm.

A post mortem revealed he died from a single stab wound to the chest after a knife penetrated eight inches through his heart, the court heard.

Gordon Cole QC, prosecuting, said: “The facts of this case centre around the world of drug dealing.

“These two defendants were dealing drugs from the bushes inside the park and Mr Briggs was one of the people who went extensively for drugs.

“He tried to steal drugs and money from these two defendants.

“Mr Briggs had a knife with him.”

Widnes drug user Nicola Riley saw Mr Briggs being stabbed as she bought drugs from the pair, the court was told.

“During the course of the transaction to buy drugs she saw Lee Briggs with a knife which he held towards the neck of one of the defendants,” said Mr Cole.

“Lee Briggs was saying ‘Give me the bits’, a reference to drugs and money.

“At that point the other defendant picked up a machete and that caused Lee Briggs to move away.

“As he moved, he was stabbed.

“Both defendants were well aware that there was a risk they would be attacked for the drugs or their money.

“Weapons had been concealed in the bushes in the park and both knew of the whereabouts of the weapons.

“They both therefore envisaged the possibility of violence.”

A jury of 10 men and two women was given a 93-page bundle of documents and photographs as the two week trial started this afternoon.

Details of telephone and text calls between the defendants and a drug supplier were uncovered during the police investigation, Mr Cole told the court.

CCTV images had also captured the pair in Widnes during four days before the murder.

Mr Cole said: “The CCTV phone data shows that the defendants were together at all the material times on May 16 including when fleeing the scene of the murder and trying to get transport back to Liverpool.

“This they did in a taxi.

“The CCTV footage shows one of the defendants apparently re-enacting the stabbing. On the way back in the taxi they were both using a mobile to speak to someone they needed to meet.”

The case continues.