TWO men accused of murdering a doctor near Buckingham Palace spent money they took from the victim on a prostitute, a court heard.

William Paton and Thomas Connor, both from St Paul's Cray, are accused of killing and robbing Nadim Gulamhuseinwala last July.

The 32-year-old died from head injuries two weeks after he was attacked.

Paton and Connor, both aged 20, appeared at the Old Bailey yesterday for a trial which is expected to last until next Tuesday.

The prosecution allege Connor, of Curtismill Way, attacked Dr Gulamhuseinwala in the early hours of the morning with a metal railing, before stamping on his head.

The jury was told Paton, of Clarendon Way, then grabbed the doctor's wallet and mobile phone before fleeing with Connor.

Prosecutor Andrew Edis said: "They then, after this violence, went to Soho with the money and found a prostitute.

"There is no doubt about the time it happened and the reason is there is an enormous amount of CCTV footage which allows the investigators to trace the movements of these two defendants that night."

Both defendants, who are said to have been drinking and taking cocaine on the night of the alleged attack, deny murder and robbery.

Yesterday, the jury heard how Dr Gulamhuseinwala, from Ealing, was returning home from a nightclub at around 4am on July 25.

The prosecution claims it was at the entrance to Green Park, near The Ritz hotel, that he was set upon by Paton and Connor.

The court sat in silence as the prosecution played CCTV footage of the moment Dr Gulamhuseinwala was struck with a 10kg metal pole.

Pathologist Nathaniel Carey, who carried out a post-mortem examination on the dead man, said the victim suffered "multiple skull fractures".

He added: "When he was first treated he was in a very poorly state."

Under cross-examination from Nicholas Hilliard, who is defending Connor, Mr Carey admitted the injuries could have been caused, or made worse, by Dr Gulamhuseinwala falling over, having a thinner than average skull, or having increased levels of alcohol in his blood.

Mr Edis also told the court: "Dr Gulamhuseinwala decided at about two minutes to four to stop and to lean on a railing and to ring his girlfriend.

"She was worried about him. She wanted him to get a taxi. Well, he never had the chance to take that advice.

"It was during that conversation that he was attacked."

The trial continues.