A Purleigh teenager has denied killing a man who made sexual advances towards him.

Richard Hawkes, 19, a construction worker, from Spar Lane denies murdering Keith Weller, 58 in his home in Bridport, last September.

Christopher Wilson-Smith QC, prosecuting, told Winchester Crown Court this week: "This was a savage, sustained attack on a much older man who had drunk a great deal.

"Whilst on the ground he was viciously kicked or stamped on or indeed jumped on to cause serious injuries leading to his death."

Mr. Wilson-Smith said Hawkes told his foreman with whom he shared lodgings in Bridport, that he (Weller) "needed a good hiding."

"He told his foreman that he had been invited back to a bloke's house for some whisky - and the man had tried to touch him up," said Mr. Wilson-Smith.

He added the next day Hawkes described to his workmates how he had beaten Mr. Weller.

"And he went on to observe that if they saw Keith Weller around the town he would probably be wearing a sling on his arm," Mr. Wilson-Smith told the jury.

Mr Wilson-Smith added: "We are disposed to accept that the defendant's violent reaction did result from some sexual advance by Keith Weller.

"But we don't accept that Hawkes' reaction was justified."

Hawkes told the jury he met Mr Weller for the first time in the Lord Nelson pub in Bridport and was invited to his home where he drank whisky.

He said: "He said he wanted to have sex with me. He grabbed my testicles - that was outside my clothing. I pushed Mr Weller away and struck him a couple of times to the face and he fell over."

Hawkes said Mr Weller grabbed him - still making sexual comments, they struggled and fell to the floor.

He told the court: "I turned round and saw Mr Weller was getting up off the floor so I kicked him in the stomach twice.

"I thought he might hurt me or try to rape me," said Hawkes. "I was scared."

He added he kicked him in the side a couple of times and to the head. He asked him if he was alright and Mr Weller told him to go away.

Hawkes later returned to Mr Weller's house to see how badly he was injured. "I went over to Mr Weller and raised his head with my foot - and it was limp," he told the court. "I listened to see if I could hear if he was breathing - and I couldn't hear anything.

So at that point I assumed he was dead."

William Andreae-Jones, defending asked Hawkes? "Are you a homosexual?" Hawkes replied, "no". He asked if he had intended that Mr Weller should die or be seriously hurt and Hawkes answered. "No I didn't."

The trial continues

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