A drug dealer was fatally stabbed after a rival hired two thugs to attack him in his home.
Birmingham Crown Court heard that Jamie Benbow,29, was allegedly knifed in the chest by two men who robbed him of money and drugs.
Calvin McLeod, 38, Jerome Christie, 27, and Ravelle Hutchinson, 26, have all denied a murder charge, reports Birmingham Live.
Adrian Keeling KC, prosecuting, told the court: "Jamie Benbow was 29 when he was killed on October 21 last year. He was stabbed to death at his home in Washington Court, Handsworth Wood.
"The fatal blow was a stab to the chest.
"Jamie Benbow was a drug dealer. It seems he dealt drugs on a modest scale often to friends in and around the Beaufort Arms in Old Walsall Road."
Mr Keeling said McLeod dealt drugs: "Many of the people who knew the two men thought they were friends.
"Whatever friendship there was did not count for much on the night of October 21. At the heart of the prosecution case is that McLeod arranged for him to be attacked when Jamie Benbow was at his home address.
"The attack was done by men Jamie Benbow did not know. It was done by Christie, who drove all the way from Swadlincote, and Hutchinson. The defendants took money from Mr Benbow, quite a lot of money and it is clear they also took drugs.
"The motive for the attack is unclear. What is clear is that when they went to his address at around 11pm it was not done peaceably. The attack was to rob him."
Mr Keeling alleged that at least one knife was used in the attack but it remained unknown who inflicted the fatal wound.
"Jamie Benbow tried to defend himself and also received cuts to other parts of his body, in particular to his hands. McLeod was not there. He was some distance away, deliberately so."
Mr Keeling said it was likely that the victim would recognise McLeod. He went on to say that Mr Benbow and McLeod were regular drinkers at the Beaufort Arms.
He said on the night Benbow was killed they had both been at the pub, but Mr Benbow returned home afterwards, while while McLeod met the two other defendants .
"They set off to the home address of Mr Benbow.
"The prosecution say this was, in effect, McLeod making sure the other two knew where Jamie Benbow lived and where to go to."
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