A HEROIN addict accused of murdering a drug dealer was seen driving his alleged victim's car on the day of the killing, a court heard.Friends of Peter Brown had become concerned when they could not contact him and drove to Ipswich to look for him, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

A HEROIN addict accused of murdering a drug dealer was seen driving his alleged victim's car on the day of the killing, a court heard.

Friends of Peter Brown had become concerned when they could not contact him and drove to Ipswich to look for him, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

As they were driving along Civic Drive they saw 19-year-old Peter Brown's white Vauxhall Cavalier being driven by his alleged attacker Paul Dwyer and flashed their car headlights to get him to pull over.

Dwyer refused to stop and there was then a high speed car chase during which Mr Brown's friends rammed into the back of the Cavalier before forcing it off the A12 near the Copdock interchange.

Anthony Addison, who was a passenger in the Cavalier, had run off when the car came to a stop but Dwyer was attacked by the men in the following car and was later admitted to hospital with stab wounds.

Mr Addison told the court that he had met Dwyer by chance at the Sainsbury's garage in Hadleigh Road, Ipswich, several hours after the alleged murder and Dwyer told him that he was selling drugs for Mr Brown.

Mr Addison had got into the Cavalier with him and Dwyer had driven off with the intention of finding a safe place to do a deal and it was at this stage Mr Brown's friends spotted the Cavalier and chased after it.

Mr Addison, who told the court that he had met Mr Brown while he was selling the Big Issue in Ipswich town centre and had regularly bought drugs from him, said he had repeatedly asked Dwyer to stop and let him out during the pursuit.

Dwyer, 38, of no fixed address has denied murdering Mr Brown on October 25, 2001.

The court has been told that Dwyer had stood trial for Mr Brown's murder in 2002 but there had been a problem with that trial which was not Dwyer's fault.

It has been alleged that Dwyer, who was a heroin addict and sold the Big Issue in Ipswich, stabbed Mr Brown to death in a flat in Parkwood, Henley Road, Ipswich. Mr Brown suffered 18 stab wounds in the alleged attack including one which severed his jugular vein.

The trial continues.