The girlfriend of murdered Ben Gardner told the jury she was twice punched and called a “whore” prior to the attack that killed her boyfriend.

Allanna Devine claimed one of the men said “I hope you die of cancer” as she was walking back to her flat in Throwley Way.

Mr Gardner had already retrieved the hat which was stolen from his girlfriend minutes earlier but Miss Devine went to remonstrate with the men as she had “had enough”.

She told the court: “I approached the group and was hit in the face with a fist to my cheekbone.

“I was fuming. I said 'you're a big man, hitting a woman?' and he replied 'what, like this?' and hit me again.

“Then Ben said 'I'm not a fighter but you just hit my girlfriend and I'm not standing back'.”

Miss Devine said she did not see the attack on her boyfriend as she was arguing with the man who hit her, however Miss Chick did witness the assault.

She said: “Ben was struck in the left side of his head. His body flowed backwards, another member of the group swept his feet from under him and the was being kicked in the head while he was on the floor.”

A tearful Miss Devine said she followed the group, who had run off, but returned to the scene after hearing Miss Chick screaming, only to find her stricken boyfriend lying unconscious in the road.

The trial continues.