A drunken teenage party ended in violence when a 16-year-old youth attacked a defenceless man and stamped on his head, a court heard.

The accused, who cannot be named because of his age, admitted robbery and unlawful wounding at Oxford Crown Court yesterday in connection with the assault on March 17 this year.

He denied the more serious charge of wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm.

Phillip Matthews, prosecuting, said the victim, Philip Johnson, 40, also known as Cattelama Philos-Delphinium, died early on March 22 of a brain haemorrhage.

The court was told that Mr Johnson went to Eton school before studying at London University and embarking on a successful career in the city.

After the break-up of his marriage, he left his job and turned to alcohol. At the time of his death he was homeless, living in a night shelter in Luther Court, Oxford. His accent, background and addiction to alcohol made him a target for bullying.

On Saturday, March 17, Mr Johnson and two friends left the night shelter, bought cider and sherry from an off-licence and walked to Hinksey Park, off Abingdon Road, to drink it.

At the same time, the defendant, who was 16 at the time, left a party of teenage friends at a nearby home, and accompanied three girls to another house.

Mr Matthews said on the way they met Mr Johnson and his friends who were standing in a phone box and the defendant said: "Watch this. Watch what I'm going to do."

He ran to the box, opened the door, and with his booted foot kicked Mr Johnson, who began crying.

Witnesses said the teenagers then returned to the party by the same route. Seeing Mr Johnson and his two friends, two of the girls asked them for cigarettes, which they were given.

However, the men refused to give any to the defendant and he responded angrily by punching Mr Johnson in the face, who started crying again.

The two groups met a third time that evening when the three men walked down the same street where the party was being held.

The defendant, who was smoking outside, saw they were carrying two plastic bags containing alcohol and confronted them, demanding the drink.

When they refused, he punched Mr Johnson in the face several times, causing him to fall to the floor.

The defendant then stamped hard on the right side of his face and took two bottles of the cider, the prosecution alleged.

Mr Matthews said Mr Johnson was arrested four days later for being drunk and disorderly and was taken to hospital after he fell ill while in custody.

He died the next day.

The defendant was originally charged with murder, but the prosecution dropped the charge.

The case continues today.