A BASINGSTOKE man was murdered for stealing cannabis, a court heard.

As previously reported, Frazer Brabant was assaulted and found with serious head injuries in the back garden of a house in Gershwin Road on October 31, 2019.

The 31-year-old father-of-two was taken to hospital where he died on January 21, 2020.

A trial of five men accused of offences involving his death started at Winchester Crown Court on Wednesday, April 19.

READ MORE: Recap: Trial into alleged murder of Frazer Brabant begins

The five men are Scott Neale, 35, from Spindle Close, Oakridge; Lee Wood, 32, from Griston, Thetford, Norfolk; Forhad Miah, 32, from Chestnuts Close, Oakley; James O’Connor, 24, from Fairfield, Whitchurch; and Ricky Lewis, 40, from Candover Court, Basingstoke.

One of them – Scott Neale – has pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge, while Wood, Miah and O'Connor pleaded not guilty to the charge.

A prosecution counsel told the jury on Thursday, April 20, that Brabant was attacked as a “revenge” for a robbery that took place three months before the day of the attack.

Prosecutor, Mr Michael Burrows KC said: “On July 31, 2019, Mr Brabant attacked Neale in his home in Basingstoke and stole some cannabis. Following that robbery, Neale sought revenge on Frazer Brabant.

“That night, Neale, with others including his brother Lewis, Miah and Wood, went out armed with weapons looking for Brabant. They went to the home of his partner, Abbie Roberts. Mr Brabant was not there. Even so, they used violence and damaged her house and cars.

“The following night, they went to the home of an associate, Paul Mitchell. He told them Brabant was not there.

“Three months later, on the night of Thursday 31st October 2019, Neale, again with Miah and Wood, and now with O’Connor found Frazer Brabant at the flat of another associate. They sprayed something into the face of [the associate] to incapacitate him. They chased Mr Brabant into a nearby garden. There they attacked him with weapons and caused very serious head injuries. They left him for dead. They thought they had killed him. In fact, Mr Brabant was taken to hospital, where he remained in a coma, until his death on 21st January 2020.”

SEE ALSO: Man pleads guilty to manslaughter following death of Basingstoke father

The prosecution also submitted phone records of the five accused and examined a police data analyst to corroborate the events leading to the fatal attack.

Mr Burrows added that one of the accused – O’Conner – was injured in the attack on October 31 in an upswing of the weapon wielded by Neale.

He said: “The fact that Neale recklessly caused a significant injury, no doubt with an upswing of the weapon he wielded, to the head of one of his fellow attackers, reflects on his blinkered ferocity and the intensity of their joint attack on Mr Brabant. They were out to cause very serious injury to Mr Brabant, if not to kill him, as they did.

“Yesterday [Wednesday, April 19], Neale pleaded guilty to manslaughter, that is unlawfully killing Mr Brabant. It follows that he has abandoned his account in interview that he was not involved in the fatal attack and was at home. He now accepts that he was involved in the fatal attack.

“The prosecution say those involved in the fatal attack are guilty of murder, that is unlawfully killing Frazer Brabant with intent to kill him or cause really serious harm.  The prosecution say what they did shows what they intended.”

The five men were charged in October last year with the following offences: 

Scott Neale, 35, from Spindle Close, Oakridge, with murder, conspiracy to commit GBH with intent and violent disorder.

Lee Wood, 32, from Griston, Thetford, Norfolk - murder, conspiracy to commit GBH with intent and violent disorder.

Forhad Miah, 32, from Chestnuts Close, Oakley - murder, conspiracy to commit GBH with intent and violent disorder

James O’Connor, 24, from Fairfield, Whitchurch - murder.

Ricky Lewis, 40, from Candover Court, Basingstoke - conspiracy to commit GBH with intent and violent disorder.

The trial continues.