A man accused of killing a 17-year-old who died after being assaulted shouted 'I'm going to kill you' before the fatal attack, a court has heard.

Eastern Daily Press: Tributes have been left in The Walks to Reece Hornibrook Picture: Chris BishopTributes have been left in The Walks to Reece Hornibrook Picture: Chris Bishop (Image: Archant)

Police were called to Saddlebow Road in King's Lynn in the early hours of July 7 last year after reports Reece Hornibrook had suffered serious head injuries in an assault.

He was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Lynn with life-threatening head injuries, but died on July 9.

Liam Russell, 31, of Metcalf Avenue, Lynn, has gone on trial at Norwich Crown Court after pleading not guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Hornibrook.

Stephen Spence, opening the prosecution case on Monday (March 2), said Mr Hornibrook had been at a party in Lynn but had left with a friend to help walk another friend, who was just 15, home sometime after 3am on July 7 last year.

Eastern Daily Press: Liam Russell. PIC: East Anglia News Service.Liam Russell. PIC: East Anglia News Service. (Image: Archant)

Mr Spence said that on the way home there had been some "larking about" during which one of Mr Hornibrook's friends kicked and damaged the wing mirror of a BMW which belonged to the defendant.

Russell's wife Dominique became aware of the damage and drove after the three youngsters and "remonstrated" with them which resulted in an argument with Mr Hornibrook.

Mr Hornibrook, who had been sticking up for his friends, was slapped across the face by Mrs Russell but "didn't retaliate".

The court heard that Russell, who had been to Festival Too in Lynn and had taken cocaine, arrived on the scene and was "angry" about the damage to his car and said: "My car's been damaged, I'm going to kill you".

The defendant has since denied saying that but was heard by a neighbour who had seen what was going on and Mr Spence said the comment was "an indication of just how angry he was".

There followed a "scuffle" during which the defendant ended up on the floor but Mr Spence said that "rather than backing off, rather than walking away or calling the police" the defendant gets up, goes back and continues the argument with Mr Hornibrook and punched him in the face.

Mr Spence said Russell will argue he was acting in self-defence but insisted the defendant was "acting in anger" and said there was no real justification for the blow that came to the face that "knocked him to the ground and ended up killing him".

The trial continues.