One of the men accused of murdering a Croydon lab technician had been heavily drinking in the hours before the death, a jury heard today.

Darren Liston, 25, had been in Wandle Park sitting on a bench, drinking cans of Stella Artois, in the hours before Anthony Fernandes' death.

Mr Fernandes, 46, was found with multiple stab wounds in his flat, in Windmill Road, on Tuesday, July 28.

The Epsom College employee, who had worked at the college for 20-years, was rushed to Kings College Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11.50pm.

The court heard from Mr Liston's aunt, Elaine Liston, who said that Mr Liston could become “unpredictable” when he was drunk and would “have a go” if he disagreed with you.

Miss Liston, who lives in Sutton, said he had started drinking heavily three years ago after the breakdown his relationship.

Miss Liston said: “Darren could be a really nice person but when he has a drink he can become unpredictable.

"If he don't agree with you or you disagree with him he'd have a go at you on the phone.”

On the day Mr Fernandes was killed, he asked a park ranger to call him a cab after becoming so drunk in the park “he was falling off the bench”, the court heard.

The court heard a witness statement from park ranger, James O'Brien, who has worked in the park for the past 16 years.

He said that Mr Liston had been sitting on the bench outside his ranger hut for a number of hours, steadily consuming a carrier bag full of beers.

In his statement, read out by prosecution barrister, Mark Heywood QC, he said: “[Liston] was always there and he was nearly always drunk.

“It transpired he knew a few people I knew and lived close by, in Derby Road.”

On the day of Mr Fernandes' death, Mr O'Brien said he saw Mr Liston sitting on the bench outside his office, when he had returned from clearing the gardens at Croydon Parish Church.

Mr O'Brien said: “He shouted at me 'where have you been?'

“I told him I had been at Croydon Parish Church and he said they didn't pay me enough money.”

After several hours in the park Mr Liston was met by two other men, who stayed with him, then left to go to the job centre.

When the returned to the park ranger office after doing his rounds, Mr O'Brien said he recognised someone he thought to be Mr Liston leaving the park at just after 6pm.

The trial continues.