A Teenager boasted he had left a father of two like a cabbage after an attack with baseball bats, a court heard.

Divorcee Gary Rae, 40, died from horrific injuries after he was battered, punched and kicked outside his flat in High Street, Hailsham, last May.

Kyle Strange told Hove Crown Court William Devall and four others had gathered at his flat in South Road before leaving with two baseball bats to find Mr Rae.

Mr Strange, 18, said he took a picture of Devall posing with a bat shortly before they left.

He said he had earlier heard Devall, 19, talking to another teenager about Mr Rae.

He said he was upset about something to do with his ex-girlfriend and wanted to beat Mr Rae up.

Mr Strange said: "William Devall said he was going to get some petrol, beat Gary up and set fire to his place with him in it.

"He came back to the flat with the baseball bat later. He was trying to hype up the others to go down to Gary's."

Mr Strange said three teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, left the flat to get hoodies to cover their faces. One returned with the second baseball bat.

He said Devall, Shane Challice, 19, Jason Jackson, 18, and two other teenagers left the flat at about 9pm.

It is alleged they were joined at Mr Rae's by a third teenager who was 16 at the time. Mr Rae was allegedly hit on the back of his head with a bat by Devall after he answered his door.

Paul Lewis, QC, prosecuting, said a 17-year-old juvenile allegedly joined in the attack with the second baseball bat.

He alleged the others kicked and punched Mr Rae as he lay on the ground or encouraged the others to do so.

Mr Rae suffered multiple fractures and died from heavy internal bleeding after his liver and a kidney were damaged in the attack on May 29 last year. Mr Strange said the others returned to his flat about 30 minutes after the beating.

He said: "Devall was pumped up and seemed on an adrenaline rush. He said he had turned this bloke into a cabbage."

Devall, of Meadow Road, Hailsham, and a 17-year-old juvenile deny murder but admit manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Challice, of South Road, Hailsham; Jackson, of Albert Road, Polegate, and two juveniles aged 16 and 17 deny murder. The trial continues.