WITNESSES described how they saw attackers punch and kick a terminally ill Lowestoft father-of-three who later died in hospital.John Vry, 55, who was suffering from bowel cancer, was "stamped on" in an assault in Lowestoft, by a 16-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

WITNESSES described how they saw attackers punch and kick a terminally ill Lowestoft father-of-three who later died in hospital.

John Vry, 55, who was suffering from bowel cancer, was "stamped on" in an assault in Lowestoft, by a 16-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Jurors were told that on the evening of December 3 last year, Mr Vry left his house in Lowestoft to buy some chips before he was confronted by James Killingback, now 23, and a teenager - who is now 17.

Prosecuting, Karim Khalil, QC, said Mr Vry was subject to a violent attack and later died in hospital with serious head injuries.

He told the court that Mr Vry had been given a life expectancy of between three and six months by doctors last summer.

Mr Khalil said Mr Vry, who had undergone surgery and chemotherapy for his cancer, had been in no condition to defend himself.

A witness walking past the alleyway told jurors she heard "moaning and groaning' sounds.

Sarah Coote, who was walking past the scene of the attack with her boyfriend, said she also heard "stamping sounds'.

"I looked down the alleyway and I saw three people. One man was lying on the floor, one was holding him down and the other was constantly kicking and punching him. One man was crouching down holding him down so the other one could beat him up.'

She said that after watching for about two minutes she walked further down London Road South before she turned and saw the attackers leaving the alley together. She added that she did not see their faces.

An emergency call made by her boyfriend, Michael Loveridge, was played to jurors.

Mr Loveridge said he did not see the assault himself but was relaying information from his girlfriend.

Killingback, of Lowestoft, and the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, both deny murdering Mr Vry.

The trial continues.