A convicted thief and burglar who was fatally stabbed with a military knife during an alleged “vigilante” killing by a Suffolk man and his son could have run on to the knife because he “simply didn’t see it”, it has been claimed.

On the second day of his closing speech to a jury at Ipswich Crown Court, Jason Bartfeld QC said although it wasn’t pitch black at the time 45-year-old Neil Charles was fatally injured it had still been “pretty dark.”

He said the knife being held by 55-year-old David King was black from the 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.