The jury trying three men over the murder of a student for his Blackberry mobile phone has retired to consider its verdict.

During the two-week trial at the Old Bailey, the court heard how Saravanakumar Sellappan was chatting to a friend on his mobile when he was attacked just yards from his house in Thornton Heath.

The prosecution said a single blow was delivered with "severe force", leaving the 24-year-old garage attendant with a fractured skull and brain damage following the attack.

Mr Sellappan remained conscious and was rushed to Mayday Hospital by friends he contacted using a second mobile, but was sent home following a "cursory" examination which took less than five minutes.

He fell into a coma during the night, and died in hospital two days later.

The court heard the three accused - Roshan Samedov and Awat Hussein Muradi, 18, and 20-year-ol Jegir Ali Ahmaddi - spotted Mr Sellappan as they were waiting in and around a betting shop in London Road, Thornton Heath late on October 17 last year.

Jurors were shown CCTV footage of the victim being followed by the three men as he talked to a friend on his phone, although the actual attack was not covered by cameras.

All three men deny murder.