A HOMELESS man continued to be kicked after he had been beaten unconscious, a jury heard yesterday.

Diane Hayes, 29, told Oxford Crown Court that Joanne Moriarty and Daniel McCollin attacked Denis Witney in the house where she was staying in St Clement’s Street, East Oxford, in November last year.

Wayne Cattell, 37, of Mortimer Road, Rose Hill, McCollin, 30, of Blay Close, Blackbird Leys, and Moriarty, 29, of Mortimer Road, Rose Hill, all deny murder.

The jury heard Moriarty hit Mr Witney with a glass he had been holding as he sat on a mattress.

Miss Hayes told the court Moriarty had said Mr Witney attacked her a few months earlier. She said Moriarty was shouting and screaming, but could not remember what she was saying.

When asked by Neil Moore, prosecuting, about the mood and the tone of what Moriarty was saying, Miss Hayes answered: “Crazy.”

She added: “As Wayne was pulling her back, she kicked out and kicked him in the face and Denis’ nose started to bleed.”

Miss Hayes said she took Moriarty upstairs to the top floor, while Cattell and Mr Witney went downstairs, where Cattell pushed Mr Witney out of the house.

She said Moriarty was on the phone to McCollin when Mr Witney returned minutes later as he had left two boxes of wine. Miss Hayes, Mr Witney, Moriarty and Cattell were in the living room when McCollin arrived, the jury heard.

Miss Hayes said: “Danny asked Jo ‘is this him?’ She said ‘yes’ and Danny hit Denis with a can over his head.

“He swung his arm back. He hit him with the bottom part of the can.”

She added: “It must have been pretty hard because Denis just dropped on the floor.”

She said: “Danny carried on kicking and punching him. Kicking him. Stamping on him. Kicking him in the head. Chest area. His ribs.”

She estimated that Mr Witney was kicked about 15 to 20 times and of McCollin added: “He was totally off his face. Drunk. On drugs of some kind.”

Miss Hayes said Mr Witney had tried to protect his head, but then fell unconscious.

She said: “I remember Jo kicking him. Danny was still kicking him.”

She said Cattell attempted to pull McCollin off Mr Witney and added: “Jo did kick him twice. To see if he was unconscious.”

Miss Hayes said Cattell threw about five or six glasses of water over Mr Witney to wake him up before helping him to the kitchen to clean him up.

She said they wanted to call for an ambulance, but Mr Witney refused as he believed the police had a warrant out for him.

Mr Witney left and Cattell walked him down the road, the jury heard. Miss Hayes said Cattell returned after a few minutes.

Mr Witney was discovered outside Marcus Roberts’ Pianos in St Clement’s Street, on November 8 last year.

He later died at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital after suffering a heart attack.

The trial continues.