A FATHER-OF-EIGHT had his head ‘caved in’ in just over a minute by two half-brothers after he sold their mother ‘bad drugs’, a jury has heard.

Steven Thurston was found by a friend lying in a pool of blood on June 9 after brothers George Preshur, 30, and Andrew Tait, 22, went to his Blackburn home armed with wooden poles, prosecutors allege.

Prosecutor Francis McEntee told a jury at Preston Crown Court that Mr Thurston was attacked by the brothers after he had supplied drugs to their mother, to which she had a ‘bad reaction’.

Preshur, of Keele Walk, Blackburn, has admitted murdering Mr Thurston, while Tait, also of Keele Walk, has pleaded not guilty to the same charge.

Mr McEntee said Tait travelled from Accrington to his mother’s home, also on Keele Walk, where he then met his half-brother, before going to Mr Thurston’s home around the corner.

He said: “Shortly before 9pm on June 9, Andrew Tait was making his way to meet his half-brother George Preshur, and as he was doing so, he sent a text.

“In one of those texts, he announced that ‘Tinfoil’ was a d******* and that he was going to cave his head in.

“Tinfoil was a nickname for Steven Thurston and the reason for this defendant’s anger was that he believed Mr Thurston had supplied drugs to his mother and that she had a bad reaction to them.

“So he said he was going to cave his head in.

“Less than half-an-hour later, the two half-brothers were seen on CCTV storming up the street from their mother’s house towards Mr Thurston’s home on Sussex Drive, just around the corner.

“The two men are then seen entering the address before leaving a little more than a minute later, still armed with the wooden poles.”

Mr McEntee said the alleged murder weapons were found wrapped in plastic bags in the attic of the defendants’ mother’s house – with Mr Thurston’s DNA on them.

He said police officers were able to recover messages from Tait’s phone, which outlined his intent to cause harm to Mr Thurston.

He also added that the evidence combined, including witness accounts and CCTV, shows, in the prosecution’s view, Tait played a role in the murder of the Blackburn man.

He said: “Andrew Tait took a taxi to Blackburn, CCTV shows him arriving at his mother’s address. The taxi driver who took him has given a description of him, stating his arm was in a sling.

“The defendant can be seen arriving at the house a 9.12pm. Approximately three minutes later, the defendant emerges from the address having abandoned the sling and he is seen carrying a wooden pole.

“In the space of just over a couple of minutes Tait, now joined by Preshur, progress from the victim’s address and back.

“A man had been killed. His head, caved in.”

Both Tait and Preshur were arrested two days after the murder, on June 11.

In a prepared statement, Tait admitted that he had entered Mr Thurston’s home with his brother on the date in question, and that they both had planks of wood with them.

However, he claims there was ‘no intent to assault him’ and that while he was at the address, he ‘did not assault Tinfoil in anyway.’

Mr McEntee told the jury: “The defendant’s position is stated that he played no part and shouted ‘stop’, trying to stop it. You will understand why the prosecution says such a claim is unbelievable, especially given the message he sent just 20 mins before the attack.”

A post-mortem confirmed Mr Thurston died from significant head trauma.

The trial continues.