Man helping teen 'was murdered'

Nick Baty went into a coma and died a month after the attack

A man who stopped to help a collapsed teenager in a car park was fatally attacked, a murder trial has heard.

Passer-by Nick Baty, 47, was returning from a funeral when he stopped to help the boy, unconscious after drinking with youths in Brackla, Bridgend.

The jury heard he was then repeatedly stamped on in the head by Joseph Thomas, 18, of Brackla.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Mr Thomas, who denies murder, claimed Mr Baty, who died a month later, was "drunk".

Mr Thomas admitted pushing and stamping on Mr Baty, but told police he had acted in self-defence because Mr Baty was "drunk and threatening".

Mr Baty, a father-of-one from Brackla, was taken to hospital but went into a coma and died a month later when his life support machine was turned off.

Prosecutor Roger Thomas QC said it was a vicious attack on a man who "was only concerned about the welfare of the teenager unconscious on the floor".

He said: "Mr Baty moved towards the unconscious teenager when, suddenly and without warning, Thomas ran at him from behind shouting 'leave him alone'.

"He grabbed him by the shoulder and threw him to ground.

'Sociable and good-tempered'

"Mr Baty's head struck the ground with a thud but Thomas didn't leave him. He attacked him as he lay defenceless on the ground."

The court heard Mr Thomas left Mr Baty lying in a pool of blood and bragged to a friend about what he had done.

His friend called 999 and police found Mr Baty lying next to the unconscious teenager outside the Physique gym in Brackla in January this year.

The court heard Mr Thomas's friend had been drinking for more than nine hours as he gathered with a group of friends in the car park outside the gym.

Prosecutor Roger Thomas said: "It was visible that the boy was drunk as he was stumbling and kept falling over.

"Thomas and another boy were trying to get him to his feet but he collapsed."

Mr Baty, a print company worker, was returning from a funeral service when he was walking past the car park and spotted the unconscious boy with two friends trying to lift him up.

"Mr Baty had also been drinking but friends said he was sociable and good-tempered throughout the evening," said the prosecutor.

"The funeral was of his friend and he had left the wake to get some food when he came across the teenagers."

The court heard Mr Baty died in hospital from a head injury, pneumonia and a blood clot. He was put on a life support machine but never recovered.

The trial continues.