A man was beaten so badly during an attack after crashing a woman’s car, he died two weeks later in hospital, a court has heard.

Ted Shaxted suffered 11 broken ribs, a fractured collar bone and swollen head during the vicious attack by three men in his Northfleet flat in December 2007.

The trial of four men accused of his murder began on Tuesday - despite the fact Mr Shaxted, speaking to police from his hospital bed, refused to name them and did not want a prosecution.

The court heard Mr Shaxted was subjected to a "sustained and substantial beating". The day before the attack he had taken and crashed a car while over the drink-drive limit.

The prosecution said a group was then "organised" to go to Mr Shaxted's flat in Wallis Park. It is alleged that group included three of the men on trial for his murder - Marvin Service, 33, Trevor Lees, 35, and Bill Saunders, 27.

The jury at Maidstone Crown Court was also told the prosecution allege the man responsible for that visit was the fourth man in the dock, 29-year-old Kelvin Horlock.

Horlock, of Hatfield Road, Strood, Service, of Brandon Street, Gravesend, Lees, of London Road, Northfleet, and Saunders, of Shamrock Road, Gravesend, all deny murder. Horlock, Service and Saunders have also pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

The trial is expected to last six weeks.

• For the full account of the trial's first day, pick up a copy of this week's Gravesend Messenger newspaper