Two men accused of murdering a chef by using him like a trampoline were arrested after a brother of one of the pair tipped off the police, a court heard.

Mark Johnstone, 31, and Anthony Meenan, 54, allegedly stamped 46-year-old Robert Kelly to death during a drunken row.

Glaswegian Mr Kelly died from massive injuries and was found lying in front of an electric fire at his flat in Downland Court, Portslade.

Police went to the flat soon after the attack because John Johnstone, who lived nearby, suspected his brothers Mark and Martin were responsible.

Martin Johnstone died in April 2002 but Mark, and Tony Meenan, both originally from Coatbridge, Scotland, face trial for the murder.

Meenan, of West Hill Road, St Leonards, and Johnstone, of no fixed address, deny the charge.

The defendants woke John Johnstone and his girlfriend Fiona Hunter at her flat at around 4am on January 17, 2001.

Ms Hunter told the Old Bailey: "Both were very drunk. Tony was very calm but Mark was very, very nervous and just shaking uncontrollably.

"Mark kept repeating that Robert Kelly was dead. He said he had been beaten up in the rain in the alley near my flat. I didn't believe him.

"They told me that Robert had been sent out to buy some food and that on his return a group of young chaps had beaten him up."

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Kelly had suffered at least 20 impact injuries to his face and head, multiple fractured ribs, collapsed lungs and tears to his liver and spleen.

Mark Johnstone later blamed the attack on Martin, the court heard. The trial continues.