It was not until Bristol student Joe Dymond-Williams had died in hospital that murder suspect Thomas Swift admitted kicking him in the head as he lay unconscious, a jury has heard.

Swift, aged 18, of Ellfield Close, Bishopsworth, was arrested in the early hours of June 22 last year after the attack on 17-year-old Joe.

Bristol Crown Court heard Joe had intervened in an argument between his friend Jack Pullin and Jack's ex-girlfriend Sophie White after a night out at the QC Bar in Queen Charlotte Street, when he was attacked by Jack Sanderson-Hunt, 18, of Dundry View, Knowle Park.

Joe was knocked out by a punch, fell backwards "like a dead weight" and cracked his skull on the road.

The jury has heard that while nearby drinkers went to see if Joe was all right, Swift kicked him "like a football" in the right temple.

Yesterday, Detective Constable Stuart Seddon and prosecution barrister Michael Cullum read out the transcript of Swift's police interviews to the jury for the first time.

In his first interview, on the night of June 22 at Southmead police station, Swift consistently denied even "touching" Joe as he lay prostrate on the ground.

But after St Brendan's Sixth Form College pupil Joe failed to come out of a coma and died on July 8, Swift was brought back in for questioning on July 15, on suspicion of murder.

This time he read out a statement explaining that he was ill-prepared before his previous interview and had not had enough time to speak to his then-solicitor Selina Hunt before being questioned.

In his statement, he said: "I was extremely nervous and worried and didn't know what to expect.

"I just wanted to try and get out of the police station."

Swift said he had told the truth in his account except omitting that his foot had "come into contact" with Joe's head.

"My sole intention was to kick his body to see if he was conscious," he added.

"I panicked after hitting him in the head.

"I'm extremely sorry that Joe Dymond-Williams has died and I'm sorry I did not tell the whole truth in my previous interview."

The court also heard experts had estimated Swift had drunk enough alcohol to put him twice over the drink-drive limit for alcohol when the incident at the junction with King Street happened.

Today, the jury was due to hear from medical experts about Joe's injuries.

The court has already heard he suffered a 10cm fracture to the back of his skull and a 3.5cm fracture to the right side of his skull.

Swift denies murdering Joe, who lived in Whitchurch, but has already admitted a manslaughter charge.

Sanderson-Hunt has also admitted manslaughter and is waiting to be sentenced.

The case continues at Bristol Crown Court.