A PAIR of alcoholics beat up a fellow drinker at a former Fishponds church used as sheltered accommodation, a court heard.

Bristol Crown Court was told Thomas Tibbatts and Zarah Bryant were seen with Timothy Crooke, and Bryant promised to look after him.

Hours later Crooke was left bloodied and battered in the corner of Tibbatts' squalid bedroom in Wayland Court, Guinea Lane, and others heard Tibbatts and Bryant admitting they punched him.

Tibbatts, 33, of Wayland Court, and Bryant, 23, of Manor Court, Trendlewood Park, Fishponds, deny murder between March 4 and 7 last year.

Ian Pringle QC, prosecuting, said all three people in the incident had severe alcohol problems at the time.

He told the jury: "The defendants, together, decided whilst in drink to pick on Timothy Crooke, 47, and they assaulted him, carrying out a prolonged and vicious attack upon him. They battered him to death."

Mr Pringle said most residents in the 11-room accommodation had issues of alcohol or drug dependency and needed the help of wardens for day-to-day living.

He said on Saturday, March 5, Mr Crooke was with Nicola Adams, and they bought drink from a newsagent, before Crooke fell into the company of Tibbatts and Bryant around 10pm – Bryant promising to look after him.

"That's the last time anyone else apart from the defendants saw Timothy Crooke," Mr Pringle said.

"CCTV shows him going into Tibbatts' Flat 1 with the two defendants and disappearing into Flat 1. He never came out alive."

Mr Pringle said Mr Crooke was "hugely affected" by drink that night and a test on him later revealed alcohol content in his body was extremely high.

He said: "There is no doubt that he received a prolonged and vicious attack. On his left hand side he had multiple fractures of the ribs and he must have been in considerable pain as a result. His face was pummelled and he had bruising, black eyes and abrasions all over his face.

"There's little doubt that he received a very savage beating."

The jury were shown computer generated images of cuts and bruises to the deceased's head, body and limbs. The injuries included seven rib fractures.

Mr Pringle said on the morning of Sunday, March 6, Tibbatts and Bryant were in Raymond Nott's flat saying they had killed Mr Crooke, and asking what they where going to do.

Mr Pringle told the jury: "Thomas Tibbatts said 'there's nothing much we can do. I'll have to take the charge and hold it on my head.' He admitted repeatedly punching Timothy Crooke really hard. Zarah Bryant implicated herself and admitted hitting Timothy Crooke."

The jury heard police were called to the scene and forensics set about analysing blood as well as clothing.

Tibbatts was arrested and made no comment when interviewed.

Bryant gave a prepared statement in which she said Tibbatts and Mr Crooke argued and had a fight and she shouted at them to stop but they didn't. She said things calmed down, and though Tibbatts and Mr Crooke had blood on their faces all seemed well and the three of them carried on drinking before they all fell asleep.

"We suggest you will conclude that was nothing but a bare-faced lie by Zarah Bryant," Mr Pringle told the jury.

The case continues.