The jury in the trial of two men accused of battering to death a woman has begun to consider its verdict.

The jurors retired yesterday afternoon for less than two hours before being sent home for the night by Judge Richard Brown at Lewes Crown Court. They will continue to consider their decision today.

Alex Gallacher, 33, and Stephen Johnstone, 26, have both denied murdering Charmaine Dempsey at her home in Ivory Walk, Bewbush, Crawley.

The jury has heard Tracey Gazzard, 29, who was Gallacher's girlfriend at the time, has admitted a charge of manslaughter on the grounds she assaulted the dead woman but did not intend to kill her.

Ms Dempsey, 48, was found dead by her daughter in December last year. Police believe Ms Dempsey, an alcoholic, was killed a month earlier.

A post mortem revealed she had suffered multiple injuries, including a broken nose, a double fracture to her jaw, a fractured cheekbone, multiple rib fractures and bruising to her head and body.

The prosecution has alleged Ms Dempsey was killed on November 27 last year after she fell out with Gallacher, Johnstone and Gazzard, who were heavy drinkers and also friends of hers.

During the month-long trial the jury heard how detectives made secret recordings at the house in Neptune Close, Crawley, where Gallacher, Johnstone and Gazzard were living, as they talked about alibis and police inquiries into Ms Dempsey's death.