A fisherman found dead in the Thames near Sunbury Lock suffered injuries similar to those caused by a car crash, a court has heard.
Scott Wilkinson died after being attacked on an island in the Thames in July 2016.
On Thursday (February 14), pathologist Robert Chapman told a jury at Guildford Crown Court the 48-year-old had been hit at least four times on the head with a blunt object, fracturing his skull and causing traumatic - and eventually fatal - injuries to his brain.
Three men - Shane Crawt, 19, of Old Lodge Lane, Purley; Lenny Crawt, 18, of Down Street, West Molesey, and Charlie Smith, 23, of no fixed abode - all deny murdering Mr Wilkinson. Each claims another of their co-defendants attacked the fisherman.
Under questioning from Paul Cavin QC, prosecuting, Dr Chapman described the injuries Mr Wilkinson had sustained, including "full thickness"lacerations to his head, bruising to his head and upper body, and internal injuries including two broken ribs, a tear in his spleen and a fractured skull that he compared to "crazy paving".
Dr Chapman said the blows that cut Mr Wilkinson's head and broke his ribs were likely to have been struck with "severe force" by someone wielding a "rod-like" object such as "a baseball bat or piece of metal piping" or the edge of a plank of wood.
The attack also caused extensive brain damage, which Dr Chapman said was the ultimate cause of Mr Wilkinson's death.
He said: "The overall severity of the injuries to the head, it's commonly found in road traffic situations."
Asked whether any medical intervention could have saved Mr Wilkinson, the pathologist said: "In my opinion, no."
Scott Wilkinson murder trial
Later, the jury heard from a teenage witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who saw the three defendants on the night Mr Wilkinson was attacked.
The witness told the court he had been with two friends in Grovelands Park, 1.5 miles from where Mr Wilkinson was attacked, when three boys approached them asking for a cigarette.
The witness said: "I said no, then they started intimidating me saying we just murdered someone."
He said this claim was made by a boy he identified as "the ringleader", who stated to be 18.
Under cross-examination from Graham Trembath QC, representing Charlie Smith, the witness said he was sure "the ringleader" had said "we've killed someone", and not "I've killed someone".
The jury also heard the same witness had identified Lenny Crawt as one of the three boys at an identity parade.
None of the defendants disputes they were in Grovelands Park at the time and spoke to the witness and his friends.
The trial continues.
