Khalil Nasseri Tribute

A greengrocer was stabbed to death in a revenge attack after a row over a 90-cent orange, a British court has heard.

The greengrocer, Khalil Nasseri, 25, was allegedly knifed in the chest by Delroy Brown, 39, after he caught Brown trying to steal the orange from a South London fruit shop in January, the Daily Mail reported.

"[Brown] took an orange from the greengrocers' fruit display in the street and he began to peel it with a knife," Peter Kyte, QC, told a court.

"He appeared unwilling to pay for that orange. Khalil Nasseri challenged him to pay for the orange and a disagreement between these two people ensued."

Brown attacked Mr Nasseri with a hammer he took from his car, but was disarmed by other shopkeepers and chased from the store.

The Daily Mail reported that he warned Mr Nasseri: "I will return. This is not over ... I'm coming back for your blood.

"He was chased away from the scene by a number of people and he returned a couple of days later. This time he came with reinforcements, two other black men," Mr Kyte told the court.

One of the men had a knife, Mr Kyte said.

They assaulted shopkeepers at the store before stabbing Mr Nasseri to "almost instantaneous death", he said.

Mr Kyte said the other two men involved in the attack had not been caught.

Brown has denied the charges of murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, the Daily Mail said.