A jury has heard the closing arguments in the trial of a man accused of murder on a Watford estate.

Andrew Boag, 35, died after an altercation in Garsmouth Way, Watford, on Friday, July 25, 2008. Stephen Lowe, 42, denies murder.

Anne Evans, prosecuting, and Ann Cotcher, QC, representing Lowe, today summed up their cases for the jury, on day 12 of the trial at St Albans Crown Court.

Ms Evans told the seven women and five men that after considering the evidence they “should find Stephen Lowe guilty of murder”, for his “sustained” attack on Mr Boag inside a Mercedes taxi.

Ms Evans said: “There would be few people in this courtroom who would have wanted Andy Boag as a neighbour. We know he's a drug dealer, know he can be extremely unpleasant. We know he has a troubled psychological history and know more often than not he carried a knife.

She continued: “This is not the Wild West. We don't live in a society where you can take the law into your own hands to meet out what revenge each of us sees just and we should not make an exception in this case because we don't approve of the actions of the victim.”

Ms Evans told the jury there was “no issue of self defence in this case”, claiming Lowe had “ample time” to leave the scene before the confrontation with Mr Boag erupted.

The court has heard previously that Mr Boag threatened Lowe on a number of occasions, accusing Lowe of being a “grass” when he encouraged Teri Leighton to report him to police after she was assaulted by Mr Boag.

Ms Evans said: “There's no doubt this was a chance meeting between these two men. Mr Lowe decided to take a risk to turn up at that address (the home of Stacey Brennan, the mother of his son who was dating Mr Boag) without first establishing who was there. He took the precaution of having a knuckle-duster on him in case he met with trouble in the shape of Andy Boag. And there Andy Boag was.

“Stephen Lowe had ample time to get clear of the scene but instead of that he decided to meet Mr Boag head on. Armed with a knuckle-duster he gave Mr Boag a severe beating which resulted in Mr Boag's death.”

But if the jury did consider he acted in self-defence, Ms Evans suggested Lowe had “completely lost that justification by the end of it”.

She said: “By the time Stephen Lowe delivered the last punch to Andy Boag, he had gone way, way beyond anything that could be considered as self-defence, and he should be convicted of murder.”

Turning to the knife that was recovered from a bush near to a Mercedes taxi's bonnet in Garsmouth Way, Ms Evans described it as a “red herring” that was not associated with Mr Boag.

She said: “He came from Abbey View having done his (drug) deal, he wasn't near the bush. The last thing he would have done is throw away a knife if he's seen Stephen Lowe coming.

“He (Lowe) punched him (Mr Boag) so viciously and often Andy Boag died at the scene. The very least he must have intended was serious bodily harm.

“Mr Lowe has no right to take the law into his own hands. This is murder and that is the verdict you should return.”

In her own closing speech, Ms Cotcher described the confrontation between Lowe and Mr Boag as a “chance meeting that had such a tragic conclusion”.

She told the court of Mr Boag's admission he “enjoyed violence”, and that Lowe was unable to punch Mr Boag with power because of the confines of the vehicle the two men were in.

Ms Cotcher said: “Andy Boag was a drug dealer who enjoyed, who reveled in violence. He carried a knife at all times and had no hesitation in using it. It's what he himself told the psychologists. It's not idle gossip.

“Much is made of Stephen Lowe and his super heavyweight class (in boxing), height and build. How much room was there in that car. Was there room to take a large swing at someone? Was there room to put power into any swing? Or was it difficult in a confined space to have any power in most of the punches he gave.”

Referring to the knife, Ms Cotcher told the jury Stacey Brennan, during her evidence, told the court she thought she had seen Mr Boag with one like it.

She said: “Mr Lowe's view was there was a real chance Andy Boag would knife him or kill him with some other weapon. It was Mr Boag who was after Mr Lowe and not the other way around.”

And despite the defendant's protests that he did not kill Mr Boag, when he gave evidence on Monday, Ms Cotcher said her client did in fact kill Mr Boag – who died of head injuries.

“He did kill Andy Boag but he had no intention of killing him,” she told the jury.

“You cannot be a vigilante. You cannot say this man does not matter being here and it's my responsibility to get rid of him. But what you can do is take these threats which are given to you repeatedly three or four times a week and do your best to distance yourself by working away, do your best by keeping our of Andy Boag's way, not to have a confrontation and then when you're threatened again and in fear of attack defend yourself.

“I suppose in the cold light of day Mr Lowe would have been better to jump back in that van and get out of there. But this happened in an instant.”

Stephen Lowe, of Breakspeare Close, Watford, has pleaded not guilty to murder. He has also pleaded not guilty to an alternative count of manslaughter.

The trial continues.