A CAGE fighter accused of a double murder was described by his barrister as “unskilled, under-educated and unsophisticated” – but not a killer.

In his closing arguments, John Elvidge QC said there was nothing to link his client, Thomas Haigh, with the murder of two drug dealers, David Griffiths, from Plymouth, and Brett Flournoy, from Merseyside.

Instead, said Mr Elvidge, all the evidence pointed to Denby Dale man Haigh’s co-accused, Ross Stone, from St Austell, Cornwall being guilty of the crime in June last year.

“We say Thomas Haigh is not guilty of murder,” he said.

“He didn’t kill David Griffiths and Brett Flournoy and he did not participate in their killing.”

The prosecution say Haigh, 26, and Stone, 28, killed the two men over drug debts.

They say that Haigh shot the men at Sunny Corner, a smallholding near St Austell where Haigh and Stone were living.

Afterwards, Stone, who was dealing cocaine and growing cannabis, buried them in their van and set it alight.

Both men deny murder and have sought to blame the other. Stone admits to obstructing a coroner by burying the bodies.