The defendants are jointly charged with the murder of 24-year-old Denva Smith, who died from a single stab wound in May last year. Mr Smith was found in the garden of a property in Ashfield Close on May 31.
Those on trial are Zac Davies, 23, of Hawthorn Grove, Exmouth; Dylan Chadwick, 23, of Cambourne Avenue, St Helens; Ben Mason, 23, of no fixed abode, Exmouth; Thomas Ward, 24, of Russell Walk, Exeter; and Ben Helliker, 26, of Halsdon Road, Exmouth. All five have pleaded not guilty to murder.
The trial formally got under way on Wednesday at Exeter Crown Court, where legal teams for both the Crown and defence assembled and a jury was sworn in. Members of the defendants’ families were present in the public gallery.
The prosecution, led by James Dawes KC, is due to outline the Crown’s case to the jury on Thursday. The trial is being overseen by Mr Justice Garnham and is expected to last up to six weeks. All five defendants remain remanded in custody.
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