The friend of a man who died after being "booted" in the face has told how the attacker threatened to "hit him again" as he struggled to get him up, a court has heard.

Daniel Allen went with Nigel Mazs, 59, and another friend to smoke drugs inside a block of flats in Malakoff Close, Great Yarmouth, when they were confronted by Martin Montgomery.

Norwich Crown Court heard Mr Mazs suffered a catastrophic brain injury when hitting his head after he fell when he was kicked by Montgomery in an attack on December 22 last year.

Nigel MazsNigel Mazs (Image: Submitted by family) Mr Mazs died in hospital on January 4 this year, almost two weeks after he was found by police in Regent Road after the attack around 11am.

Montgomery, 31, of Russell Road, Yarmouth, has gone on trial having denied murder although he has admitted a lesser charge of manslaughter.

Giving evidence, Mr Allen said after they arrived at the flats Montgomery "came out and started kicking off".

Norwich Crown CourtNorwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)

He said: "He told us all to get out.

"He went 'get out you dirty crack heads we’ve got kids in here'.

“As we went out Nigel went to pick something up off the floor and just got booted in the head."

Mr Allen said his friend was kicked "straight on the nose" and was "knocked out straight away".

The witness added: "At the end of the day he was my mate, he didn't deserve that".

Police in Regent Road, Great YarmouthPolice in Regent Road, Great Yarmouth (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Allen, who was on crutches at the time due to a leg injury, said "I couldn't defend Nigel".

He said Montgomery was still shouting at them as he had been trying to to get his unconscious friend up from the floor.

Mr Allen said Montgomery told him he was going to "hurt" Mr Mazs if he did not move him.

The witness said Montgomery was shouting: "Get him away or I'll f*****g hit him again."

Flats at Malakoff CloseFlats at Malakoff Close (Image: Denise Bradley)

After helping get the unconscious Mr Mazs up they headed towards the town centre to get a phone so they could call an ambulance.

Mr Allen said as they walked, Mr Mazs was clearly "confused", kept "forgetting things" and was bleeding.

He said he later found the "big gash" on the back of Mr Mazs' head which was "looked quite deep".

The trial continues.