Jurors on the trial of a Liverpool man accused of murder today heard harrowing audio of the attack that led to the death of a respected consultant.
Jason Edwards is one of three people who denies murdering Dr Gary Jenkins in a Cardiff park last year.
Prosecutors allege the dad-of-two was “left for dead" in a killing motivated by "greed, homophobia, and a straightforward liking for violence".
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Dr Jenkins suffered devastating injuries when he was attacked in Bute Park in the early hours of July 20.
The 54-year-old died as a result of his injuries on August 5.
Edwards, Lee William Strickland and a 17-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all deny murder and are on trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.
All three defendants have admitted charges of manslaughter, robbery of a bag, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, reports Wales Online.
When the trial opened on Tuesday, prosecutor Dafydd Enoch said the killing was a brutal beating that lasted almost 15 minutes and was "torture – pure and simple".
He told the jury: “The man at the centre of this case encountered the worst traits of humankind and despite the best efforts of one person he could not find the protection.”
Today, the court was played CCTV footage from the Summerhouse Cafe, which captured the audio of the incident.
Mr Enoch said subtitles given to the jury displayed what the prosecution alleges can be heard - and so may be disputed by the defence.
In the clip a man's voice was heard to repeatedly say "leave me alone" and ask for help and for his assailants to "get off me".
A female voice demanded: "Money...now" but she was told by the man he did not have any money.
It was alleged homophobic language could be heard during the incident as another voice repeatedly begs: "Stop it, stop it."
At one stage a female voice said: "Get down, get down" before a male voice added: "All over again."
Later in the clip a man is said to have repeated: "Stamp his head."
Towards the end of the clip a female voice is heard to say: "Yeah I needed that."
The court has heard that Dr Jenkins was born and raised in Cardiff but later moved to London and met his wife at medical school. The couple had two daughters.
Mr Enoch said: " He remained devoted to those two daughters up to the time of his death. He became estranged from his wife and moved back to Cardiff six years ago.
“Dr Jenkins was bisexual and when he moved back to Cardiff this particular side of his character came to the fore. He was open about it and colleagues were well aware of his bisexuality.
“Dr Jenkins was in the habit of attending Bute Park in Cardiff at night looking for sexual contact with like-minded men and would drink heavily as well. He was thought of as fit and healthy and was proud of his appearance. He had no financial difficulties.
“His sexual proclivities were to be his undoing. By engaging in that activity he rendered himself hopelessly vulnerable and was an easy target as he wandered about Bute Park. By its nature the activity he engaged in was risky.”
Edwards, 25 and of Litchfield Court, and Strickland, 36 and of no fixed abode, both live in Cardiff but jurors have been told Edwards is from Liverpool.
Mr Enoch has told the court the three defendants went to Bute Park "to target somebody for robbery and violence", adding: "They knew what went on in that park at that time of night and the vulnerable nature of people frequenting that part of Cardiff."
Mr Enoch said the attack "lasted for nearly 15 minutes" and those responsible were "indulging in sport".
Concluding his opening, Mr Enoch said: “He didn’t deserve what happened to him – he was a much-loved and admired individual.
“Not one scintilla of remorse has been shown by any of these defendants who were prepared to leave him for dead on his own in the park.”
The case, which is expected to last four weeks and is being heard in front of Judge Daniel Williams, continues.
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