JURORS trying three friends accused of murdering Jamie Dack have been sent home for the night by a judge.

Mr Justice Walker told the four men and eight women to return to Winchester Crown Court tomorrow to continue their deliberations after six hours of debate today.

They have spent more than nine weeks hearing evidence concerning the brutal killing of the 22-year-old who was tortured and beaten and later killed on Good Friday last year.

His body was discovered in the early hours of Easter Sunday by firefighters called to deal with an industrial bin blaze in Empress Road.

The court has heard how Jamie suffered countless injuries to his body after being attacked with knives, broken bottles and fists.

He eventually died from a stab wound to the neck inflicted by Lee Nicholls, who changed his plea and admitted murder during a previous trial.

Ryan Woodmansey, 32, Andrew Dwyer-Skeats, 27, and his then girlfriend Donna Chalk, 22, are all accused of carrying out the murder at a flat in Bevois Mews, Southampton.

They have all admitted a separate charge of perverting the course of justice.

Nicholls, 29, from Southampton Street, is on remand awaiting sentence at the end of this trial.

Proceeding.