A MAN was murdered by a drunken teenager after asking him and his friends to keep the noise down, a court was told.

Damien Fiocca, now 20, of Whitendale Crescent, Blackburn, hit Andrew Rawes over the head with a TV stand, smashing his skull and causing him brain damage, a Preston Crown Court jury heard.

Mr Rawes, 29, died six weeks after the attack in the early hours at his Pringle Street home, Audley.

Fiocca, who denies murder and manslaughter, followed Mr Rawes upstairs to his bedroom and repeatedly hit him with the stand, the court heard.

Neil Flewitt, prosecuting, said the row started when Fiocca and two friends - brothers Jamie and Karim Bahm - visited Mr Rawes' next door neighbour at 1am on October 14, 2003.

Their friend was not in but they stayed on the street outside chatting and "messing around", he said and told the jury: "Andrew Rawes put his head out of the window, swore at them, and told them to keep it down. The defendant became angry and agitated.

"Mr Rawes came downstairs, went outside and threw a punch that connected with the defendant. Karim Bahm kicked out at Andrew Rawes and caught him under the chin. He ran back inside and the defendant chased him."

After about a minute, the brothers followed Fiocca inside and Karim Bahm saw him hit Mr Rawes over the head with the TV stand before all three made off, the court heard.

The men called an ambulance from a nearby phone box then saw Mr Rawes walking towards them before running off, the jury heard.

Shortly after, Mr Rawes then made an emergency call from the phone box but was so badly injured he could only repeat the word "ambulance," the court was told.

Mr Rawes was rushed to Blackburn Infirmary and had a blood clot removed from his brain. His condition deteriorated and he died on November 29 at Queens Park Hospital, Blackburn.

(Proceeding)