Peter White

Two drunken thugs murdered a man in Bilston town centre before stealing £20 from his pockets and spending it on a game of pool, a bag of chips and alcohol, a court heard this afternoon.

Jason Talbot and Arthur Henry were playing pool in a pub 10 minutes after beating Peter White to death, the jury was told.

The jury was shown harrowing CCTV footage of Talbot, aged 34, and 45-year-old Henry battering their victim in Church Street at 4.30pm.

Pedestrians are seen walking just yards away as the pair launched a four-minute attack that included punches and kicks.

Mr White, who was 47 and lived in Bilston Road, was beaten to death just a stone’s throw from the town’s bus station.

Prosecuting, Mr Timothy Spencer QC told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Talbot and Henry stole £20 from their victim which they spent on a game of pool in The Greyhound & Punchbowl, as well as two rounds of lager and cider-and-black.

They then bought fish and chips before heading to an off-licence where they bought lager and cider.

After beating up Mr White, the pair where caught on CCTV in the bus station, where Talbot had his arm around Henry.

Mr Spencer said: “What happened was a joint attack by the pair of them – each is responsible for the actions of the other.

“Peter White offered no resistance whatsoever and was defenceless in the face of this vicious attack.”

The pair were arrested after police viewed CCTV footage of the attack.

Talbot, aged 34 of Rocket Pool Drive, Bradley, and Henry, 45 of Rosemary Avenue, The Lunt, both deny murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The court heard how the two men admitted the attack on Mr White but said they were not in control of their actions as they were drunk.