by Keith Hunt

A Polish man died after suffering more than 60 injuries to his body in a "vicious and sustained" fatal attack, a court heard.

Daniel Galkowski was allegedly punched and kicked repeatedly by 31-year-old Artur Kozlowski after violence erupted between the two Poles in Kozlowski’s flat in South Street, Gravesend, in December last year.

Maidstone Crown Court the fight started in the living room and then continued in the bathroom.

Prosecutor Simon Edwards said Mr Galkowski, who was significantly smaller than Kozlowski, was punched several times and then kicked all over his body as he lay on the floor.

His body was found the following day laying in pools of blood and in a semi-foetal position.

"There was a large amount of blood coming from his mouth," said Mr Edwards.

"The Crown say it would have been obvious from even the briefest of glances that he was dead."

Mr Galkowski’s injuries included one to his brain, as well as a broken nose, fractured rib and grip marks to his arms and neck.

The jury of seven men and five women was told that Kozlowski admits killing Mr Galkowski but denies murder.

However, the prosecutor said the extent of Mr Galkowski’s injuries was "the clearest possible indication" that at the very least he intended to cause really serious injury.

"This was a sustained and violent attack by the defendant. It resulted in injuries all over his body and serious internal injuries.

"Whatever prompted this disagreement is unclear; what is clear is that it resulted in a vicious attack on Mr Galkowski which killed him.

"The defendant accepts killing Mr Galkowski and the question for you will be are you satisfied that at the time he killed him he either intended to kill him or cause him really serious injury.

"If the answer is yes then the verdict would be guilty of murder."

The trial is expected to end later this week.

The court heard that Mr Galkowski’s body was found after Kozlowski appeared at a friend’s house looking "very shaken" and possibly crying.

He told Angelica Szezesnik that a row had broken out after the two men had been drinking. He recalled punching Mr Galkowski to the ground, and then attacking him again once he got back up.

"The defendant said he couldn’t remember what had happened because he was drunk," explained Mr Edwards.

A neighbour also overheard a commotion and later told police it sounded like "a steel weight" was being thrown around.

Kozlowski then told Mrs Szezesnik he left the bathroom and fell asleep. However, when he got up in the morning he found Mr Galkowski on the bathroom floor.

"He thought initially he was asleep but when he couldn’t rouse him it occurred to him that he was dead and had killed him," said the prosecutor.

The jury was told Mrs Szezesnik alerted another friend who went to the flat and found Mr Galkowski.

Kozlowski was arrested two days later. After an initial chase by the police, he was found laying down in a garden in Franklin Road.

He told police he had been very drunk when a fight broke out between him and Mr Galkowski. "He accepted that he had punched him a number of times but also kicked him all over his body when Mr Galkowski was on the floor," said Mr Edwards.

"I ask rhetorically what would one intend if one were to kick a man all over his body repeatedly when he was on the ground and helpless."

When arrested Kozlowski had injuries to his hands but the prosecution allege it is "unlikely" they were caused during the attack.