Reece Cox: Man tells jury of attack by gang before father was killed outside pub

Grant Danbury said he was "sucker punched" and floored in an unprovoked attack, while walking to a taxi with his girlfriend Kelly Timmins, in Sedgley last year.

He then fled to The Clifton, and was further assaulted in an alcove of the building, before escaping into the pub on the night of August 15, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Moments later, CCTV showed 24-year-old Reece Cox - who had only met Grant and Kelly that night - standing up to the assailants, before he was beaten to death on the pavement outside.

Six men are standing on trial accused of his murder, while five of them are also accused of causing actual bodily harm to Mr Danbury.

The case so far:

• 'This is not right': Jury told final words of heroic Reece Cox who died defending friend

• Reece Cox: 500 hours of CCTV trawled in Black Country murder probe

• Trial told how father was beaten to death as he tried to help friend

While walking to a taxi rank down Ettymore Road, Mr Danbury and Miss Timmins said they heard someone say "is that your missus".

Mr Danbury said: "It did not come across friendly. As I went to turn around, I was sucker punched, catching me on the back of the head."

He did not recognise who attacked him but described the assailant as being "small, scrawny, like chavvy".

Miss Timmins said she tried to "pull one person off" Mr Danbury.

Mr Danbury then recalled a "few more lads saying 'you hit my mate'", the court heard. "It was like a pack. They all jumped on me then," he said.

Mr Danbury said he ended up being corned in an alcove, outside the pub's front entrance, being repeatedly punched and kicked.

He said there were five attackers, and he held up his arms to defend himself. A doormen then let Mr Danbury into the pub, where he received treatment.

He was left with a shoe imprint on his face, alongside a bloody lip and a ripped top.

Miss Timmins described the group as a "gang". After her boyfriend was punched, she and Mr Danbury became separated.

She went back to The Clifton looking for him, and described seeing a "pile on" outside.

She said: "I didn't know if Grant was under the pile on or if he wasn't.

"I was thinking where is Grant? I walked towards the doorway of the Wetherspoons. I could see Grant was inside the pub and I thought he was okay.

"I could see he [Mr Danbury] was bleeding but he was alright. That is when I saw Reece on the floor.

"I went over to Reece. I was kneeling with him. I didn't know what to do. I thought he had been knocked out, unconscious. I was panicked.

"Someone said 'this wasn't supposed to happen, it wasn't supposed to be like this'.

"It seemed people started appearing. No sooner had that happened, police and paramedics were there."

Adam Ashwin, 20, of Monument Lane, Sedgley, denies murder.

Wayne Burke, 23, of Queens Street, Pensnett; Shaquel Halliday, 22, of Shadwell Drive, Lower Gornal; Shane Jones, 26, of Orchard Grove, Lower Gornal; Ryan Nicklin, 22, of Limes Avenue, Pensnett; and Sebastian Jones, 19, of Corser Street, Dudley, deny murder, manslaughter, assault actioning actual bodily harm and violent disorder.

The trial continues.