by Keith Hunt

The retrial of four men accused of murdering alcoholic Ted Shaxted at his Northfleet home has reached the closing stages.

Marvin Service and Bill Saunders have given evidence, while Kelvin Horlock and Trevor Lees did not go into the witness box.

Mr Shaxted was given a “sustained and ferocious beating” at his flat on the evening of December 2, 2007, after he stole a car belonging to Horlock’s mother with her dog in it and crashed.

He suffered multiple injuries and died in hospital 12 days later.

The prosecution allege the attack was organised by Horlock, 32, and carried out by Service, 35, Saunders, 30, and 38-year-old Lees.

Service, who has won power lifting contests, claimed his palm print was found in Mr Shaxted’s bathroom at Wallis Park because he went there on the day of the beating on behalf of Horlock to check on the victim.

He said the door was open and nobody was there. He left, he said, after seeing blood. He denied “stopping off to give Mr Shaxted a thorough beating”.

Saunders admitted going to Mr Shaxted’s home with Lees and another man he would not identify.

He claimed Lees punched Mr Shaxted “a couple or three times” when he opened the door. Saunders denied any involvement in the attack.

Saunders, of Denton Caravan Site, Shamrock Road, Gravesend, Lees, of London Road, Northfleet, Horlock, of Hatfield Road, Strood, and Service, of Brandon Street, Gravesend, all deny murder and manslaughter.

The jury of nine men and three women is expected to go out either at the end of the week or early next week.