A grandfather was battered to death when a neighbourhood dispute turned to violence on a Hampshire estate, Winchester Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

Father-of-six, Jeffrey Rostigina (44), was battered with weapons, including hammers and bats, it is alleged. The attack happened after tensions got out of hand on the New Forest housing estate, the court was told. The horrific attack occurred on January 9th this year, at Mr Rostigina's home in Howe Close, New Milton.

Six people from the New Forest and Southampton appeared before the court charged with the murder. Two of those charged are roofer, Peter Crutcher (47), and his wife, Ginette (36), who also live in Howe Close.

The other four are Gavin Gore ( 25), of Vaudrey Close, Shirley, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old from New Milton and a 14-year-old from Southampton. At a preliminary hearing in July, they all denied murder and two counts of violent disorder.

Mr Rostigina died in Southampton General Hospital just hours after police were called to his home, where they found him, covered in blood, nearby.

Prosecuting, Nigel Pascoe QC, told the court that, before the attack, abuse had been directed at Mr Rostigina's house.

Mr Pascoe said that on the day of the murder, Peter Crutcher drank in a New Milton pub and bought a litre of vodka at the Mace store, in Beechwood Avenue.

At 10.10pm, Gavin Gore and the three accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were captured on CCTV footage at New Milton railway station.

Mr Pascoe said that, later that night, five accused entered the house of Mr Rostigina, who had been listening to country and western music. "Peter Crutcher, we say, was encouraging the mayhem that was taking place inside. We say that everybody who went across had very serious violence in mind," added Mr Pascoe.

The court heard that one of the accused attacked Mr Rostigina's son, Anthony, who had also been at the house, with a hammer, forcing him back on to a sofa and biting his cheek until it bled.

Mr Pascoe said Ginette Crutcher and another accused grabbed Mr Rostigina's arm before he was attacked by other gang members. He broke free, seeking safety at his daughter's house in nearby Mountbatten Close.

But, Mr Pascoe added, he was chased by two accused, who used weapons, including a claw hammer, to attack him again. "It was a continuing attack on an injured man," said the prosecutor.

Ambulance crews and police arrived at Howe Close at 11.25pm. They found Mr Rostigina and took him to hospital, where he was certified dead at 12.45am. A post mortem showed he had suffered 11 injuries to his head and neck, including two severe fractures to his skull. It also showed that Mr Rostigina, who had a history of angina, also had a heart attack.

Mr Pascoe told the jury: "You are concerned with a tragic and violent death. We want to make one thing clearthis was no spur-of-the-moment incident."

Proceeding