VIDEO footage shows the moment that murder suspects were arrested while crawling through back gardens, covered in a man’s blood.

Giuseppe Petriccione, 46, and Francesco D’Agostino, 45, were allegedly trying to escape the police at their door in Stafford Road, Brighton.

Inside the flat, police found Serxhio Marku, 21, with critical injuries including stab wounds and head wounds.

One neighbour reported seeing D’Agostino lying topless on top of a roof as police searched with torches, while another saw Petriccione crawling over garden walls and crouching.

The Argus:

Police at the scene in Stafford Road, Brighton - scroll down for video

At Brighton Crown Court the jury was shown footage of the moment the Italian chefs were arrested.

In one part of the video bare-chested and tattooed D’Agostino is shown to be led back through a property, with his jeans covered in blood.

“We had a fight in my house,” he told police.

The Argus:

Francesco D'Agostino is one man accused of murder

In the second part, armed police with Tasers surrounded Petriccione in a garden and tell him he is under arrest on suspicion of attempted murder.

“Please don’t kill me,” he is heard to whimper.

The Argus:

Giuseppe Petriccione is the second man accused of murder

D’Agostino meanwhile mumbled “they are going to beat me up”.

Mr Marku had suffered injuries to his head and neck, and Alan Kent QC, prosecuting, told jurors it was a sustained attack with knives, a scaffolding pole, dumbell and barbell.

Read more on this story:

The Albanian had gone to the property to sell cocaine, but was found lying face down in a pool of his own blood, and died en route to the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

In court, the jury saw footage and heard neighbours describe the police manhunt to try and stop the Italians from allegedly trying to escape.

Exeter Street resident Paul Winter said he was awoken to hear the noise of a police car driving fast, with radios and torches also being used.

He said: “They appeared to be trying to access a neighbour’s home. I could see police in the gardens of Stafford Road. I heard them saying they wanted to look down the gardens.

“As they did so, I saw a man lying on his back on the bedroom roof of a neighbour. I could barely see him or his face because it was so dark. All I could see was that he appeared to have no top on. I could see the sheen of his skin, and could see wet clothing on his lower half.”

The Argus:

The moment Francesco D'Agostino was arrested in Brighton

The wet lower half was in fact blood, and Mr Winter noticed that as police led D’Agostino away through his home, blood was left on the window ledge.

Stafford Road resident Simon Bourne said: “I was woken by a number of noises and was worried it might be someone trying to break into someone’s address.

“Further up I could hear noises. On top of a border wall I saw a man crouched on top of the fence, presumably climbing over from next door. I called out ‘what are you doing?’

The Argus:

The moment Giuseppe Petriccione was arrested in Brighton

“I saw him drop down into my neighbour’s garden and called the police because I thought he was going to break in.”

D’Agostino, of Stafford Road, Brighton, and Petriccione, of Arienzo near Naples, deny murder.