Shocked bystanders heard a ‘dull thud’ as a gang o

Shocked bystanders heard a ‘dull thud’ as a gang of angry
youths beat a defenceless languages student to death, the Old
Bailey heard today Wednesday.

Mr Stephen Knight was with his girlfriend outside a late
night burger bar when the gang descended on Patrick French, 22,
in Kingston Market Square.

Mr French, originally from Lewes, Sussex, died from a brain
haemorrhage caused by the ‘savage’ attack, the court heard.

Scott Steer, 19, Dean Monaghan, 19, and Mark Day, 20, deny
murdering him.

Mr Knight said the victim had done nothing more than ‘speak
loudly in French’ when a short blonde youth ahead of him in the
queue for burgers – allegedly Day – became aggressive.

‘I think the blonde fellah was offering him a fight.

‘Mr French didn’t want to know.

‘The blonde fellah punched him and a couple of other boys
joined in, running towards him and started punching and kicking.

‘At first neither Mr French or his friend Mr Damien Chapman
were making any resistance.

Mr French fell to the floor.

‘He was crouched down there with two or three boys kicking
him and one on top of him holding him.

‘I remember the one on top yelling: ”Oi, you’re kicking
me”.

‘
The prosecution claim the man on top was defendant Monaghan.

Mr Knight said he then looked over to where Mr Chapman, who
shared a flat in Kingston with Mr French, was being beaten near
the Curry’s electrical store.

‘A couple of men were kicking him.

He was just lying there.

‘After a while I heard a dull thud and wondered what it was.

‘I moved back towards the burger van and Mr French was lying
still on the floor.

‘There was a large fellah on top hitting him.

‘
That man was allegedly Steer, the court heard.

Mr Knight went to the police later on August 1 last year
after hearing that Mr French, who had studied at prestigious
Montpelier University, had died from his injuries.

Day, a builder of Barrister Gardens, Camberley; Monaghan, an
electrical apprentice of Knightswood Crescent, New Malden; and
Steer, a plumber of Aquila Close, Leatherhead, deny murder.

They are also charged with assaulting both men, causing
actual bodily harm, and violent disorder.

Monaghan alone admits
assaulting Mr Chapman.

The trial continues.

ENDS