The ex-girlfriend of a young man allegedly strangled after he insulted her on a social networking site has told of first meeting him on Halloween in 2014.

A jury has heard Carl Gregory had posted an offensive picture relating to Chloe Lemare on Facebook and called her a slag.

She told her friend Christopher Pollard and a “heated exchange of words” began between him and 20-year-old Mr Gregory.

The pair eventually arranged to meet in a car park near Westwood Cross, Broadstairs, on the evening of October 4 last year.

Pollard, 20, took his friend John Dickson, 27, with him and they ended up making a joint attack on Mr Gregory, it was alleged.

Prosecutor Philippa McAtasney QC said Pollard kicked the victim with steel cap boots and Dickson held him in a choke hold, which led to his death.

Dickson, of Northdown Road, Cliftonville, and Pollard, of Brimstone Hill, Meopham, deny murder.

Mr Gregory, from Ramsgate, had been diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. He was said to enjoy computer games, music and football.

He met Miss Lemare about 18 months before his death. The relationship ended in August last year but they remained in contact.

Miss Lemare told the court they went out with friends to play Pokemon on the night of the violence.

"We were going to play Pokemon with friends and have a chilled night," she said.

"We went to McDonald's to get something to eat. Afterwards we went to the clock tower to meet everyone to play Pokemon.

"We played Pokemon. We were getting along fine. There came a time when we had a bit of a tiff.

"He started calling me names. He called me a slag and a tramp. Me and him had an argument" - Chloe Lemare

"It was about a post he put up on Facebook about how most girls get over their exes. "He asked me if I was seeing anyone else. I said no."One of the friends said it should be him."Carl got the hump over it," she said. "When I saw the post I walked off."I messaged him and said 'Why did you post that picture? I thought you and me was alright now.'

"He started calling me names. He called me a slag and a tramp. Me and him had an argument.

"I was upset and angry so I messaged my acquaintance Christopher Pollard. He said: 'Would you like me to say something to Carl?' "I was angry and said yes. Carl and Christopher didn't know each other."My response was: 'Yes, say he's a ----.' He replied 'It shall be done. ' I was aware he said it. He sent me some screen shots later on."Miss Lemare said she told Pollard: 'He is a ----. He thinks I am sleeping with you lol.'

He said: 'Do you know his address?' I said yes. I gave it to him.

"I had no sexual relationship with Christopher Pollard."

Miss Lemare said she sent Pollard a picture of Carl's house. She walked back to the clock tower to find Carl but he was not there. She went to a bus stop and he was not there either.She wept as she said: "He sent a message saying he got the bus to Westwood."I said: 'You going home then?' He said: 'Yes 'Miss Lemare said after Carl told her he was going home, she replied: "OK then, all I can say is I am sorry. Tbh (to be honest) I didn't even know it would affect you. I was going to ask you something.

"I want to know if I can meet up with you more because because I don't really like the Pokemon lot and you and me can play instead...just have a laugh Just wanted to be mates.

"I am sorry Carl, I really didn't mean it."

Miss Lemare asked Pollard to take down a picture of Carl on Facebook with the caption "This guy thinks he's the big man" because she did not want his family starting on her.

Pollard replied: "They won't be around for long." He also said he had removed it.

Meanwhile, Miss Lemare sent a message to Carl saying: "Look, I am sorry Carl. I am up for it tomorrow if you are. I think we should start afresh."

He replied: "I will think about it." She told him: "Great, we can talk after work tomoz."

Asked how she thought she was getting on with him at this point, she replied: "I don't know."

She did not have any indication, she said, that Carl and Pollard were going to meet up.

She caught the 9.23pm bus to Birchington where she lived.

At 10.09pm she received a Facebook message from Pollard's girlfriend Ria Mata saying: "If you are up and know anybody who can get to Westwood Cross Smyths car park you need to do that now.

"There has been a fight between Christopher and Carl. Someone else stepped in.He can't go back to see if he is conscious."

Miss Lemare said she tried to phone Carl and texted: "Where are you?" She did not get any response.

At 10.20pm, she phoned Pollard and shouted: "What's going on? What's happened? Where's Carl now?

"Christopher was like: 'Oh, we went up there to meet him just to freak him out to step back from you."

She asked again where Carl was. He replied: "He is sitting on the bench crying." She told him Ria had informed her Carl was unconscious.

Pollard said: "Yeah, John got involved." She continued: "When he said that, I said: 'You guys need to get back there now. If you don't get back there now and something has happened I will be after you."

Jonathan Higgs, QC for Pollard, read from a statement Miss Lemare made to police in which she said she saw Carl being put into an ambulance.

She saw that the ambulance was not moving and did not have blue lights on. A police officer told her Carl had died and she broke down.

"Carl Gregory was placed in a choke hold and asphyxiated for such a period of time that he became unconscious and sadly died" - Prosecutor Philippa McAtasney QC

She tried to get out of the car but police stopped her. She was taken to Margate police station where she made a statement.

Miss Lemare agreed that she never got close enough to touch Carl. She also agreed the incident had nothing to do with Pokemon.

She further agreed there was a lot of press interest in it. She denied speaking to the media.

Miss Lemare said she did not tell her mother Kim it was because of Pokemon.

“I told her me and Carl met up and we played Pokemon,” she said.

Mr Higgs told her: “Your mother said this could be a fight over Pokemon.”

Miss Lemare replied: “She was angry and distressed.”

Mr Higgs: “Was she angry and distressed because you told her?”

Miss Lemare: “No, I didn’t tell her anything about Pokemon Go.”

She denied telling her mother or the press that Carl died in her arms and she spent 15 minutes doing CPR on him.

Pollard lived in Margate with his girlfriend and a month before the alleged attack Dickson moved in with them.

Dickson was head gardener at Tudor House museum in the town and Pollard also worked there.

The court heard earlier this week that Dickson, of Northdown Road, Cliftonville, and Pollard, of Brimstone Hill, Meopham, deny murder.

Miss McAtasney told the jury of eight women and four men: “The prosecution case is that both these defendants murdered Carl Gregory.

“It is the prosecution case that in the course of the attack Carl Gregory was placed in a choke hold and asphyxiated for such a period of time that he became unconscious and sadly died.

“Since their arrest and detention both defendants have sought to absolve themselves of responsibility or shift the blame to the other for Carl Gregory’s death.

“The prosecution say both these defendants committed the crime together.”

He was said to enjoy computer games, music and football. He played in goal and supported Portsmouth.

Mr Gregory’s lifeless body was discovered by staff from nearby Poundland. They tried to rouse him and called 999.

Miss McAtasney said the emergency services made prolonged efforts to revive the victim but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

When arrested, Pollard said: “I didn’t do it. I told him to stop.”

While in custody, he wrote a note to himself recording his feelings. It said: “When I saw John grab Carl like that I knew he wanted to do it. I should never have gone there.

“He would not have killed Carl and this would never have happened. I should have known John would do something like that. At this moment I still can’t stop crying. I didn’t kill him. I wouldn’t do that - never.

“I hate John for what he done. I begged him to stop. It is like a nightmare from which I need to wake up.”

The case continues.