Dent died in John Hunter Hospital in August 2011 when it appeared he was recovering after being stabbed at his Hamilton South unit.

He told police that the brothers started ‘‘laying into’’ him after  an argument about drugs.

The Daceys have pleaded not guilty to murder in a trial by judge alone before Justice Robert Hulme with the brothers arguing that they acted in self-defence.

Ian Dacey is accused of delivering the stab wound to Dent’s chest that left a slight injury to the heart while Lee is accused of assisting his brother in a joint criminal enterprise.

Dent was  preparing to leave hospital before he collapsed and died four days after the stabbing. Amphetamines were found in his system.

Crown prosecutor Lee Carr said a forensic pathologist was of the opinion that the injury to the heart contributed to Dent’s death and was attributable to the stab wound.

Another doctor, called by the defence, said Dent’s death could have been caused by other factors.

Counsel for Lee Dacey, Alissa Moen, said there was evidence the brothers were getting along with Dent in the early hours of August 10 and that the fight was most likely a spontaneous event.

The court previously heard that Dent left the unit to obtain drugs for the brothers and that Dent himself had high levels of methamphetamine in his system that night.

Upon his return, an argument ensued  and he  was stabbed a number of times.

Justice Hulme will deliver his decision at a later date.