A jury has been told by a Home Office pathologist the injuries suffered by a man stabbed following a row over a drugs debt make an accidental explanation "implausible".

Thomas Moore, 42, went with his friend Ricky Marshall to retrieve cash he said he was owed by Matthew Constantinou.

Norwich Crown Court heard the pair turned up at Constantinou’s address, a bungalow where he lived with his mother in Antingham Drive, North Walsham, to get the cash back.

But the men were chased from the address by Constantinou, 42, who was “swinging a baseball bat”.

The jury of eight men and four women have been told they were chased onto Bacton Road where, close to the junction of Melbourne Road, Mr Moore was fatally stabbed.

Constantinou, of Antingham Drive, North Walsham has gone on trial having denied murder following the attack on October 2 last year.

Eastern Daily Press: Police at the scene of where Thomas Moore died in North Walsham. Picture: Casey Cooper-FiskePolice at the scene of where Thomas Moore died in North Walsham. Picture: Casey Cooper-Fiske (Image: Archant)

Giving evidence on Tuesday, May 4, Dr Nathaniel Cary, a consultant forensic pathologist, said the most significant injury was a stab wound to left hand side of Mr Moore's neck.

He told Peter Gair, prosecuting, the wound left a "gaping hole".

Jurors were told the blade "went across to the right-hand side of his neck where it damaged the external carotid artery" and also penetrated a jugular vein on the right hand side of the neck.

Dr Cary, who attributed cause of death to a single stab wound to the left hand side of the neck, said the wound was "slightly upwards" and "would've caused torrential bleeding."

He said blood would have been "welling out" from the injury resulting in the victim losing consciousness before going into cardiac arrest.

Dr Cary said the fatal injury was caused by a knife and would have required "moderate" force to penetrate the skin.

Having described to the state of the wound and the injuries found on Mr Moore, which included "knife tip abrasions", he said it made an "accidental explanation implausible".

The trial has heard in the weeks leading up to the fatal stabbing, Constantinou and Mr Marshall had a "bit of a falling out" due to Mr Marshall being owed £10 by Constantinou for cannabis.

The trial continues.