JURORS in a murder trial at Oxford Crown Court have been reminded of the evidence before they start their deliberations. 

Accountant Joshua Harling, from Headington, is alleged to have been stabbed on July 22 last year. 

He got into his green VW Polo to drive away after a street fight – jurors at Oxford Crown Court have previously heard – but crashed on Chinnor Road, Thame. His car landed upside down.

Despite desperate attempts from doctors who lived nearby and paramedics at the scene, he died.

Prosecutors allege that Nathan Braim, 20, of Broadwaters Avenue, Thame, and Benjamin Eyles, 19, of Monks Hollow, Marlow Bottom, killed Mr Harling – which they both deny.

The pair appeared in the dock of Oxford Crown Court yesterday where the trial was summed up to jurors who are expected to begin their deliberations today. 

Judge Ian Pringle QC welcomed the 12 men and women back into the court room addressing a note that had been passed to him. 

It said a ‘minor’ thing had happened outside of court when Janet, Braim’s mother, spoke to a member of the jury and said: “I bet you lot will be glad when this is over won’t you.” 

He spoke with the mother in open court and reassured the jury that it wouldn’t happen again.

Judge Pringle explained the three charges that the jurors will decide: conspiracy to cause GBH with intent, carrying an offensive weapon in a public place and murder.

He said the ‘conspiracy’ part of the first charge means that two or more people are involved.

For this offence to be proven, both the men need to have agreed with another person – like each other, that Mr Harling would be hurt and that they intended to carry out the agreement. 

He reminded jurors of the events leading up to his death. 

In statements they have already heard how a group of teenagers were drinking and smoking in Elms Park, Thame on July 18, when Mr Harling arrived dressed in black carrying what looked like a weapon. He demanded to see a man called ‘Tyler’. 

The judge said: “Having heard that Tyler Way was chased out of the park, Nathan Braim, Benjamin Eyles and one other person went to the park armed with weapons to lure him back to the park and ‘jump-him’.” 

They denied trying to cause any harm but the judge said that is an issue that will be decided by the jurors in the first charge. 

For count two, the jury will need to decide if Braim was carrying a knife on Cotmore Close where Mr Harling was stabbed and decide if that knife belonged to him. 

For the murder charge, the jurors will need to decide if the duo attacked Mr Harling, if they intended to kill him and if they were acting in self-defence. 

It is alleged that the pair acted together and they both knew serious violence would be taking place.

If this is true, it amounts to joint enterprise – even if they claim to have different parts and had no formal agreement.