A man accused of murdering gay eccentric William Carmichael was found unconscious in a gutter by police, a court heard.

Lewes Crown Court yesterday heard a statement from PC Peter Murphy, who was on foot patrol in Brighton with a colleague on November 14 last year when a passer-by told him a man had collapsed in West Street.

PC Murphy said: "He was lying on his right side in a form of recovery position. I now know this man to be Ricky Sumner."

Sumner, 35, of Grand Parade, and Richard Price, 24, of Denmark Terrace, deny murder.

In his statement, PC Murphy said: "He did not respond to any of my attempts to revive him."

The officer called paramedics, who brought Sumner round.

PC Murphy said: "Even though he smelt strongly of intoxicating liquor, he seemed coherent enough to make his way home. I noticed an injury to the area around his left eye."

The officers accompanied Sumner towards North Street as colleagues checked him on the force database.

PC Murphy said: "When we were about halfway down North Street, we received information that he was not wanted and we allowed him to continue."

PC Murphy said he and his colleague then received another call from HQ asking them to find Sumner.

He said: "We searched the Pavilion Gardens and found him and told him CID wished to speak to him in relation to a serious incident.

"He agreed to walk back to the police station with us and we handed him over to a detective."

Mr Carmichael's body was found in his flat in Lower Rock Gardens, Kemp Town, on November 14 last year.

The court earlier heard he had been subjected to a severe beating.

The trial was adjourned until 10.30am on Monday.