Four men will stand trial today for the murder of Italian waiter Joele Leotta.

The defendants, who are all Lithuanian, are accused of killing the 20-year-old and wounding his friend Alex Galbiati, who was 19 at the time, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Aleksandras Zuravliovas, 26, of Beaumont Road; Tomas Gelezinis, 31, of Lower Stone Street; Saulius Tamoliunas, 24, of Union Street; and 21-year-old Linas Zidonis, of no fixed address, deny the charges.

Mr Leotta's parents Patrizia and Ivan have made the journey from their home in the Lombardy region of Italy. They were at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday, for the jury selection process.

Mr Leotta had only arrived in the country 10 days before he was fatally injured in a flat above Vesuvius Italian restaurant in Upper Stone Street, Maidstone, on October 20 last year.

Mr Leotta and Mr Galbiati had secured jobs at the eatery and were living in the bedsit above.