A Suffolk teenager wasn’t present when a convicted thief and burglar was fatally stabbed with a military knife during an alleged “vigilante” killing by him and his father, it has been claimed.

In his closing speech to a jury at Ipswich Crown Court, Richard Christie QC, for 19-year-old Edward King, accused the prosecution of “shoehorning” the evidence to make it tie in with the teenager being present at the scene when 45-year-old Neil Charles suffered a fatal knife wound to his chest.

Mr Christie said that Edward King’s father David King had told the court during his evidence that a knife he had been holding had caused the fatal wound to Mr Charles’ chest and a consultant pathologist had ruled out a Ninja sword carried by Edward King as being the weapon that caused the fatal wound.

In addition, remarks that could be heard on audio footage from security devices at houses in the area didn’t tie in with Edward King being at the scene when Mr Charles received the knife injury to his chest, said Mr Christie.

In his closing speech to the jury, Jason Bartfeld QC, for David King, claimed that Mr Charles could have run onto his knife because he “simply didn’t see it”.

He said although it wasn’t pitch black at the time of the alleged stabbing at around 4am it was still “pretty dark”.

He said the knife being held by 55-year-old David King was black from tip to the end of the handle and he had been wearing dark clothing.

“If the knife was being held out in front of him against his dark clothing and in that light it would be pretty hard to see,” said Mr Bartfeld.

He said no-one knew what was in Mr Charles’ mind when he suffered the fatal injury.

“What was he doing? We don’t know. Either he thought he could overpower David King or he simply didn’t see the knife,” said Mr Bartfeld.

“No-one is suggesting to you that Neil Charles deliberately impaled himself on this knife.

“He didn’t stand there and decide he was going to commit suicide,” said Mr Bartfeld.

King, of Radnor Close, Bury St Edmunds and his 19-year-old son Edward King have denied murdering Mr Charles on June 20 last year and an alternative charge of manslaughter.

It has been alleged that the pair hunted down Mr Charles and stabbed him after he tried the door handles of cars parked outside their home.

Christopher Paxton QC, prosecuting, has claimed they delivered their "own form of justice" on Mr Charles in the early hours of the morning around 70 metres from their family home.

Mr Charles suffered a 12cm single stab wound to the chest and a slash wound to his knee and died two days later.

Mr Paxton said Mr Charles had a "long career" as a thief and burglar and the prosecution accepted he was out that night stealing or looking to steal.

Mr Paxton claimed the defendants had an "obsession" with weapons and at their home had knives, knuckledusters, machetes, and shotguns - which David King had licences for as a registered firearms holder.

During the trial David King claimed that Mr Charles suffered the fatal knife wound to his chest after running on to a military knife he was holding in his outstretched hand.

He claimed he had pulled the knife out of his pocket after Mr Charles threw his bike at him and seeing Mr Charles’ hand hovering near his pocket.

He admitted failing to mention in a 999 call shortly after the incident that his son Edward had left their house with a 27 inch Ninja sword on the night in question and said he wanted to leave his son out of it as he hadn’t been present when Mr Charles suffered the fatal wound.

Edward King chose not to give evidence during the trial.

The trial continues.