TWO of the men accused of murdering a Tilehurst 22-year-old were not present at the scene of the incident, a court has heard.

That is the claim from the defence barristers of Tuviah Thompson Hordle and Carlos Fonseca, who along with two others are standing trial for the murder of Reece Heffernan at his Romany Lane home on October 31, 2022.

Reece was fatally stabbed after suffering a 16cm wound to his chest that pierced his heart.

Thompson Hordle and a 17-year-old boy are accused of rushing at Heffernan and stabbing him, while Fonseca and Hamzah Ahmed are alleged to have been the drivers of getaway cars on the evening of the incident.

All four men are accused of and deny murder and today their lawyers explained why they were not guilty of the charge.

This is what their advocates had to say on day two (June 30) of their trial at Reading Crown Court.

Helen Ahmet spoke on behalf of a 17-year-old boy from Wokingham, who we cannot name for legal reasons. He denies murder.

On day one of the trial, prosecutor Stuart Trimmer QC told the court that the boy and Tuviah Thompson Hordle were the ones who stabbed Reece Heffernan after jumping out of an MG car on Romany Lane at 10.40pm.

The court also heard that he was part of the ‘Tommy’ drug line.

She said: “He has pleaded guilty to count three, he accepts he played a part in the agreement to supply cannabis. He used the Tommy drug line phone.

“He was returning the Tommy drug line phone to [Hamzah] Ahmed, they inhaled balloons and smoked cannabis.

Romany Lane

Romany Lane

“He did not leave the BMW or get into the MG at any time that evening. At no time was he armed with a knife. He was not aware of a plan to attack anybody.

“Any suggestion from [Hamzah] Ahmed that he did is untrue. At all times he remained a backseat passenger in the BMW.”

Louise Sweet QC spoke for Tuviah Thompson Hordle, 18, of Brant Close, Wokingham. He denies murder and supplying class B drugs.

She said: “He denies he was part of any plan to attack Mr Heffernan on October 31, 2021. At the time of the attack, he was at home in Wokingham with his mother.

“He accepts he was the registered owner of a phone. At the time of the attack, that handset was not in his possession.

“He accepts he is somebody who smokes cannabis, but he denies he is involved in the sale of it.

“You [the jury] will have to make sure he was present and that he was a party to any conspiracy to supply class B drugs.

“You will have to decide whether the supply of cannabis is linked to the attack at all.”

Anu Mohindru QC is defending Hamzah Ahmed, 19, of Jubilee Road, Reading. He denies murder and perverting the course of justice.

Reading Crown Court heard how Ahmed was driving a BMW that drove in convoy with the MG around Romany Lane moments before Reece Heffernan was stabbed.

On day one of the trial, prosecutor Stuart Trimmer suggested the BMW acted as back-up for the MG.

Mr Mohindru said: “He accepts driving the BMW in question. He is the only defendant who has given a detailed account of what happened that night.

“He thought a drug-deal was going down. He may well be accused of fabricating his account.

“His account is largely corroborated by the prosecution evidence.

Romany Lane

Romany Lane

“He was not acting as a back-up in the context of the attack. The context he thought was a drug-deal.

“He denies participating in a plan to murder or seriously harm anyone that night.

“He accepts being involved in a conspiracy to supply class B drugs.”

Rossano Scamardella QC is acting as the advocate for Carlos Fonseca, 24, of Fawn Drive, Reading. He denies murder and suppling class B drugs.

The jury heard how Fonseca was driving the MG on the night of the incident. It was also alleged that Fonseca disposed of the car to Umer Arshad, another defendant in the case.

Mr Scamardella said: “Mr Fonseca was not involved in the attack on Mr Heffernan and nor was he involved in any way the attack itself.

“He denies being the driver of the MG motorcar.

“At the time of the killing, Mr Fonseca was in a park in Woodley.

“He agreed to buy the MG from Ahmed at a knock-down price. He had bought cars from him before.

“He had been drinking alcohol that evening so left the car in Woodley and made his way around by taxi.

“When he learned of the killing of Mr Heffernan, he feared the MG motorcar might have been involved.

“Worrying he might be connected to the killing, he sought to get rid of that car by selling it to Umer Arshad.

“He accepts those acts have the tendency to pervert the course of justice. He pleaded guilty to this charge.

“He denies being involved in the conspiracy to supply drugs.”

Two other defendants -- Umer Arshad and Madison Henderson -- are standing trial in connection with the killing of Reece Heffernan.

Neither of them are accused of murder, but both are accused and deny perverting the course of justice and suppling class B drugs.

Michael Harrison spoke on behalf of Madison Henderson, 19, of King’s Road, Reading, who the court heard arranged short-term accomodation for some of the defendants in Slough following the attack on Reece Heffernan.

Mr Harrison said: “She did not have knowledge of the events.

“She did not assist in concealing a crime or disposing of evidence.

“She arranged accommodation at the request of others for what she believed was innocent purposes.

“She was not involved in the conspiracy to supply cannabis.”

James McCrindell is representing Umer Arshad, 24, of Waterloo Road, Wokingham.

Prosecutor Stuart Trimmer claimed Arshad helped to dispose of the MG in Binfield, Bracknell Forest, after taking it from Carlos Fonseca.

Mr McCrindell said: “Arshad was not involved in any conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

“Arshad did not assist in concealing a crime, disposing of evidence or helping others to avoid arrest.

“He agreed to buy the MG but he had no knowledge of the alleged involvement of this car.

“Arshad was not involved in the supply of cannabis or any conspiracy to supply cannabis.”

The trial continues at Reading Crown Court.