A FATHER was tortured to death by the mother of his baby daughter, her ex-lover and her brother, a court heard today.

Andrew Gardner, 35, was repeatedly punched, kicked, stamped on and burnt in the weeks leading up to his death in March last year, the court heard.

Clare Nicholls, 28, her brother Simon Nicholls, 24, and her ex-partner Steven Martin, 44, went on trial today at Teesside Crown Court accused of his murder.

Mr Gardner's lifeless body was found by paramedics in the living room of the house he shared with the three defendants in Arthur Street in Chilton, County Durham.

Opening the case for the Crown, Paul Sloan QC told the jury that Mr Gardner had been the victim of repeated attacks in the weeks before his death in March last year.

Andrew Gardner had suffered extensive injuries, he told the jury.

"It was apparent that Andrew Gardner had been severely and repeatedly beaten, burnt and tortured over a period of weeks," Mr Sloan said.

A post-mortem examination revealed he had suffered 21 separate rib fractures.

"The rib fractures are such that they are normally encountered at the severe end of the spectrum, as seen in a car crash or considerable falls from height," Mr Sloan said.

"The only reasonable explanation for the rib fractures is that Andrew Gardner was repeatedly and forcibly jumped on with feet or knees as he lay on the floor."

The prosecutor also outlined the other injuries Mr Gardner had suffered.

His feet and left leg had been severely burnt when a hot liquid was poured over him as he took a bath, he told the court.

Mr Gardner had also suffered burns to his neck and back, which the Crown alleged was caused by Martin's cigarette lighter.

And burns to Mr Gardner's back and left shoulder were consistent with being held forcibly against a hot radiator.

All three accused deny the charges.

See tomorrow's The Northern Echo for full story