A 20-YEAR-OLD man charged with murdering a doctor told police officers who arrested him he did not hit his alleged victim.

The home of William Paton in Clarendon Way, St Paul's Cray, was raided last August by police investigating the robbery and attempted murder of 32-year-old Nadim Gulamhuseinwala.

Dr Gulamhuseinwala, from Ealing, sustained massive head injuries after he was attacked with a metal railing in the early hours of July 25 in Green Park near Buckingham Palace.

His mobile phone and wallet were stolen.

He was still in a critical condition in hospital when Paton was arrested.

Detective Constable Neil Jones told the Old Bailey this afternoon that Paton had argued his innocence on the way to Charing Cross police station.

Mr Jones told the jury Paton had said: "Look I didn't rob the bloke. I just searched him while he was on the floor.

"Tom told me to. I just want you to know I didn't hit him.

"Tom Connor hit him with the pole."

Along with Paton, 20-year-old Thomas Connor, of Curtismill Way, St Paul's Cray, is charged with murder and robbery.

On August 5, after police had arrested Paton and Connor, Dr Gulamhuseinwala died from his injuries.

Today the court also heard evidence from Daniel Lockyer, a friend of both defendants.

He had been drinking with Paton and Connor in Bromley town centre the night before the attack on Dr Gulamhuseinwala and he told the court he suspected both defendants were high on cocaine.

Dr Gulamhuseinwala was a qualified doctor and was working as a management consultant before his death.

Andrew Edis, prosecuting, read a statement from Dr Gulamhuseinwala's girlfriend Rebecca Bott, made to police after the attack.

In it she described how she begged him over the phone not to walk through the park and to instead get a taxi home.

Reading Ms Bott's statement, Mr Edis said: "He started saying something else and then there was three or four seconds of white noise where I was saying hello but there was no reply.

"I didn't try to ring him again because I thought he would be home in 20 minutes."

Connor and Paton both deny the charges against them.

The trial continues.