DEFENCE lawyers said only “gross stupidity” would have caused a defendant to keep evidence of a suspected murder for months after a couple was found dead.

In the sixth week of the Mersea murder trial, the defence gave their closing statement ahead of the jury’s expected retirement on Monday.

The defendant, Luke D’Wit, is charged with the murder of Stephen and Carol Baxter, who were found dead in their Mersea home on Easter Sunday last year.

During the trial, the court has heard from more than a dozen witnesses, including investigators who told the court fentanyl patches were found in the Baxters’ house with D’Wit’s fingerprints on them, and that D’Wit was in possession of fentanyl patches at the time of his arrest.

Gazette: Arrest - D'Wit was arrested by police in July, with the Baxters having been found dead in AprilArrest - D'Wit was arrested by police in July, with the Baxters having been found dead in April (Image: Essex Police)

The prosecution gave their closing speech on Friday, and on Monday, the defence did the same as they sought to persuade the jury that Luke D’Wit, who is charged with two counts of murder, played no part in the Baxters’ deaths.

As part of his closing speech, Adam Davies KC, defending, told the court D’Wit would have to have been “stupid” to have kept fentanyl patches on him months after the Baxters had been found dead with the lethal drug in their systems.

He said: “So, the murderer has left the fentanyl patches in view, in a box, when he was the one that collected the medicine [from the Baxters’ home] at the request of the paramedic [on the day the Baxters were found dead].

“And D’Wit has added another three fentanyl patches, with his prints on one of them, and placed them at the bottom of the box for police to find.”

Gazette: Jury - the jury is likely to retire to begin deliberating on Monday or TuesdayJury - the jury is likely to retire to begin deliberating on Monday or Tuesday (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

He continued: “D’Wit is arrested with a rucksack over three months later with a number of fentanyl patches in it – when the police go to his home, he’s left more fentanyl patches, and powder and promethazine in more tablets.

“18 Victory Road, on the face of it, has either been spoiled by sheer stupidity, or, D’Wit had nothing to do with the Baxters’ deaths and the finger has been pointed at the defendant.

“There is hoarding, and there is very unlikely gross stupidity.”