Two men boasted how they violently attacked a man who died after being kicked in the head, a jury heard.

Seph Lawrance, 22, was left lying fatally injured in a park in Crawley after his attackers stole his mobile phone.

Mr Lawrance was found by a passer-by in Goffs Park on the evening of January 7 .

He is believed to have tried to call for help on his Nokia 3410 but when he was connected to an emergency operator he was unable to speak. The operator heard shouting and what sounded like someone groaning.

Two men are on trial at Lewes Crown Court accused of his murder.

Andrew Goss, 24, of Monarch Close, Crawley, and Aadeel Virani, 21, of Jewell Walk, Crawley, both deny murder and robbery.

The jury heard Mr Lawrance, of Leopold Road, Crawley, who worked at Costa Coffee at Gatwick airport, was described as a shy man who was well-known and well-liked in the town.

He was walking through the park on his way to the home of a friend where he had been invited to dinner.

Michael Birnbaum QC, prosecuting, told the court the two defendants, who had been drinking all day, were seen in the park acting aggressively to passers by.

Earlier, they had been to the Asda store near the park, where they had stolen a box of Foster's lager.

Mr Lawrance, who was 6ft 1in tall and receiving medical treatment because he was underweight, was confronted by the two men.

They are alleged to have knocked him to the ground and kicked him in the head.

His mobile phone was stolen and the two men left him lying on the footpath in Goffs Lane.

At 6.23pm he is believed to have made a 999 call on his mobile. Mr Birnbaum said: "The operator asked him to speak but he was sadly unable to do so because there was silence. The sound of shouting and what may be a groan could be heard in the background."

Minutes later Mr Lawrance was found by a cyclist who alerted the police.

A scrunched-up can of Foster's was found near the body along with the smashed bottle of wine Mr Lawrance was carrying and his broken glasses.

Despite attempts to save him, he died from his head injuries.

Mr Birnbaum said after the fatal attack the defendants went to the home of a friend where they boasted they had beaten up a man in the park.

They allegedly claimed the violence started when Mr Lawrance refused to give them a cigarette and acted out how they had stamped on their victim.

One of the people at the house wiped blood from Virani's white trainers with a kitchen cloth and left it in the washing machine. The blood-stained cloth was later handed to police.

The men's friend, who had been given the stolen phone, broke it into pieces and left it in a dog litter bin where it was later recovered.

Two days after the attack Goss is alleged to have told another friend: "I have done something really stupid" and told of the attack.

The trial continues.