TWO young men have denied murdering a 24-year-old Sri Lankan found beaten to death in Ashford in April.

Tony Pile, 18, and James Rossiter, 22, entered the pleas at a brief hearing at Maidstone Crown Court today via a TV link from Elmley Prison on Sheppey.

They are accused of the killing Shankar Kathirgamanathan on a footpath near Ashford's Victoria Road on April 22. He died at the William Harvey Hospital two weeks later from serious head injuries.

Mr Pile, of Baileys Field, South Ashford, and Mr Rossiter, of Loudon Path, Godinton Park, will stand trial on November 29. It is expected to last four weeks.

Both men were remanded in custody until a further hearing on September 2.