AN ELECTRICIAN was beaten to death after his attacker went "berserk" during a fight in a Dartford kebab shop, a court heard this morning.

Eddie Ives, 29, was found "hiding underneath a child's bed" when police caught up with him after the alleged manslaughter of Ben Mahoney in the House on the Hill takeaway in East Hill on April 12, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

The prosecution accepts Mr Mahoney, 30, threw the first punch after confronting Ives over the defendant's aggressive manner towards takeaway staff.

Ives entered the shop at 11.23pm and was "out looking for trouble," according to the prosecution.

But Mr Mahoney was unprepared for the "repeated powerful punches" unleashed by Ives which left his victim dying behind the counter while the defendant walked out with friend Jamie Gardner, a jury of six men and six women heard.

Mr Mahoney had been drinking at The Woodman pub in East Hill that Friday night with pal Billy Cheetham when the pair decided to head the short distance to the takeaway at around 11.10pm, the court was told.

Prosecutor Ian Hope said: "Ben Mahoney perhaps unwisely interjected into the manner of Mr Ives' ordering of his food and told him to calm down.

"The defendant made it clear to Mr Mahoney that as far as he was concerned that had nothing to do with him.

"Ben Mahoney confronted Mr Ives and he took his glasses off and almost certainly threw the first punch and they started fighting.

"The persons present tried to break it up. Mr Ives is described as taking off his jacket and effectively going berserk."

The jury was shown CCTV footage of Ives being briefly pushed out of the restaurant before heading straight back in and continuing to attack Mr Mahoney behind the counter.

The victim tried to escape and terrified onlookers, including Claire Collins who had once been in a relationship with Mr Mahoney, were too scared to try and stop Ives, the court heard.

Five minutes after first entering Ives is seen on camera leaving the shop, followed by friend Mr Gardner carrying his jacket, after allegedly exhorting £30 from staff for the "inconvenience" of staining his sleeve in the altercation.

Mr Mahoney died from a brain hemorrhage which could have been caused by any of a series of blows to his head, face and neck, the court heard.

Ives, of no fixed address but from the Gravesend area, denies manslaughter and the trial is expected to last five days.

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