A man told a jury how he watched in shock as a friend brutally attacked a coffee shop worker in a park.

Aadeel Virani said he was upset by what he witnessed but had no idea the victim, Seph Lawrance, was injured so badly he would die.

Virani accused his friend Andrew Goss of violently kicking Mr Lawrance and stamping on him.

Mr Lawrance, who worked at Costa Coffee at Gatwick, was left dying on a footpath in Goffs Park, Crawley.

Virani, 21, of Jewel Walk, Crawley, and Goss, 24, of Monarch Close, Crawley, have both denied murder at a trial at Lewes Crown Court.

The attack took place in the early evening of January 7 as Mr Lawrance, 22, of Leopold Road, Crawley, walked through the park to visit a friend.

No one witnessed the assault and when Goss and Virani were arrested days later they both blamed each other for starting the violence.

Giving evidence in the third week of the trial, Virani said he and Goss had spent the day drinking before ending up hanging around the park drinking cans of lager stolen from a nearby supermarket.

He said Goss had been aggressively trying to "ponce" cigarettes from passers-by before he approached Mr Lawrance.

When he refused to hand over a cigarette because he did not smoke, Goss punched him in the face.

Virani said Mr Lawrance started to run but Goss gave chase and tripped him up.

When Mr Lawrance fell to the ground, Virani alleged Goss started to kick him.

Virani said: "I saw Goss kick him about five times in the face, stomach and chest.

"I told Goss to 'leave it out' but he just kicked him about three more times."

He said he did not assault Mr Lawrance but accidentally trod on his glasses, which had fallen to the ground.

He said: "I didn't touch Seph Lawrance in any way.

"He looked hurt but I didn't think he was dying or dead or anything like that. I thought he would just get up and walk off."

He said he did not think about the attack again until three days later when a friend told him a man assaulted in the park had died and there were rumours he and Goss were involved.

He said half an hour later the police arrived and he was arrested.

The trial continues.