A man knifed his victim through the heart in a row over a battery charger, a jury heard.

Lemuel Lee, 19, is accused of attempted murder after twice stabbing Stephen Plumb inside his Gravesend flat.

A trial at Canterbury Crown Court heard a row broke out among a group of drugtakers when Lee delivered the two near-fatal blows.

The violence unfolded when Keely Whittington accused Lee’s brother Meshak Noel, 26, of stealing a charger, a jury was told.

Seeing his friend manhandled Mr Plumb rushed to her aid, when Lee is alleged to have plunged the kitchen knife through his chest and stomach.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor told the jury Lee’s attack was intended to kill Mr Plumb inside his Gravesham Court home.

However, Lee denies the charge and is expected to tell jurors the injuries were caused in self-defence.

“Were it not for the subsequent surgery Mr Plumb would have died as a result of uncontrolled blood loss,” he said.

“It is the crown’s case that the stabbing of Mr Plumb by Mr Lee was an attack that was unjustified by anything that had preceded it.

“Moreover, by stabbing him to the abdomen twice this demonstrated that, in the heat of the moment, Mr Lee intended to kill Mr Plumb.”

The court heard brothers Lee and Noel were spotted fleeing the scene and hid the blade close by, following the alleged attack in June his year.

They were also seen stashing an ornamental sword in view of CCTV, prosecutors say.

Both weapons were later identified as belonging to Mr Plumb.

The jury heard the duo caught a taxi to Darent Valley Hospital were Noel was treated for a hand injury. Mr Plumb was rushed to a London hospital for emergency treatment.

Police soon traced the pair to their home in Reese Gardens, East Croydon, when Lee was remanded and Noel was released on bail.

Prosecutors argue Noel then intimidated Ms Whittington into refusing to give evidence on July 8.

Mr Taylor said Noel visited her home address, threw her around an alleyway telling her “drop the statement or else”.

A note found inside her house after the yale lock was forced read “Make sure you don’t speak, snitches get stitches Keely,” the court heard.

Lee, of Croydon, represented by Jonathan Rosen, denies attempted murder.

Noel, also of Croydon, represented by Steven Attridge, denies assault, perverting the course of justice and witness intimidation.

The trial continues.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Gravesend