​THE knife attack on Ben Ford has been condemned as “vicious” and “gratuitous” by the prosecution in a murder trial.

Ashley Grant, 26, of Fairway, Waltham, denies murdering Mr Ford on June 19.

The prosecution claims he twice stabbed 23-year-old Mr Ford, of Duke Street, Grimsby, in the back with a knife during a fight in Hanson Way, Grimsby.

Prosecutor Paul Reid told Hull Crown Court during his closing speech today that grant deliberately armed himself with a knife.

“Ben Ford did not have a knife,” said Mr Reid.

“All he had was a child’s toy (a pogo stick) and he ended up being knifed and he ended up dying.

“There was no justification for this at all. It is not a question of this defendant acting in self defence or in defence of another.

“It was an unprovoked and vicious and unnecessary attack on someone who was having a scrap.”

Mr Reid said Grant and Jamie Rushby “escalated” what had previously been a “tiff” between others.

“This was a totally gratuitous, unnecessary attack by Ashley Grant,” said Mr Reid.

Grant claimed that Mr Ford was the aggressor but it was Grant who was the aggressor, claimed Mr Reid.

He said grant went “tooled up” with a hammer to Harold Street, Grimsby, and used it on Mr Ford during a confrontation.

“Not content with that, then at Hanson Way, he picked up a more lethal weapon,” claimed Mr Reid.

See tomorrow's Grimsby Telegraph for the latest on the trial, which is continuing.

Pay trbiute to Ben Ford at our Lasting Tribute website