The man was working at a car sales business at the bottom of Ketts Hill opposite apartments where Matthew Griggs was allegedly attacked by a group of men.

The area where Matthew Griggs was initially attacked (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)

Three of the men - Jonathan Bristow, 46, Daniel Carroll, 29, and John McDonnell, 44 - are currently on trial accused of manslaughter.

It is after the body of Mr Griggs, who was homeless, was discovered in a tent in Sprowston by his partner Sharleen Dowd just days after he was attacked on September 19 2023.

Church Lane, Sprowston (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)

On Thursday (March 26) jurors at Norwich Crown Court heard a statement from the garage worker who said he could hear "swearing and shouting" from outside the Ketts Hill address opposite at about 7.45am.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)

Although the worker was unable to make out exactly what was being said, he described there being "a lot" of swearing.

"The shouting and swearing went on for a good 10 minutes or so," he said.

The jury also heard the statement of a cyclist who earlier that same morning had seen two men running across the forecourt of the BP petrol station on Plumstead Road with bottles of wine and champagne.

The man approached them and shouted in the hope of attracting attention to what was going on.

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The trial has heard Mr Griggs was attacked after the defendants got angry with him because they thought he had drawn attention to their shoplifting activities.

Prosecutors say his death, on woodland near Church Lane, Sprowston, was a direct result of the attacks.

Bristow, latterly of Trafalgar Street, Norwich, Carroll, of no fixed address, and McDonnell, of Recorder Road, Norwich, have all denied the charges.

The court has heard that a fourth man, Andrew Gough, formerly of Bussey Road, Old Catton, had also been involved and would have been on trial had he not since died aged 47.

© Norwich Evening News