A punter was killed during a visit to a prostitute after he was thrown from an upstairs window.

Kalvant Singh was caught up in senseless violence when a gang of five men went on the rampage to find someone they believed had been robbing prostitutes in the Middlesbrough area.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Thomas Petch, 22, Jason Crossling, 32, his brother Jonathan Crossling and Lee Harrison, were driven by George Coleman, 41, to addresses at Errol Street, Stockfield Road and Fallows Court in the town to seek out their intended victim.

Petch, Jason Crossling and Coleman are facing charges of murder and other serious violence.

Jonathan Crossling, who has fled to Spain, and Harrison, have yet to be brought before the courts on the same charges.

Prosecutor Andrew Robertson said; "It is the Crown's submission this involves wanton, gratuitous violence of the greatest degree.

"It is the Crown's case that these three men were part of a group of five who went out early one morning intent on serious violence."

Mr Singh was with the prostitute at Erol Street when the Crossling brothers burst into the room in the early hours of August 6 last year.

Prosecutor Andrew Robertson told the court Mr Singh attacked by Jonathan Crossling before being pushed through the window.

Mr Robertson said: "Mr Singh suffered fatal injuries, in particular severe head and brain injury.

"A post-mortem was carried out and it was apparent he had also been punched and kicked a number of times before being pushed or thrown through the window.

"Another man was originally the intended victim of the violence but he was not there and the violence instead was directed at the innocent Mr Singh."

Michael Moody, who lived at the flat where the murder took place, was also subjected to a horrific attack.

The prostitute who was with Mr Singh came downstairs to see Petch ram his head into a fish tank.

The fish tank exploded and left glass embeded in Mr Moody's neck.

The court heard that Petch, Jonathan Crossling and Harrison were driven by Coleman to bedsits at Southfield Road where they continued the vicious rampage.

Jason Crossling, of Fairfield Road, Middlesbrough, did not take part in this attack.

Mr Robertson said: "Again, the man they were looking for was not found so other innocent men became the object of their intended violence."

Paul Ward had a sword thrust at him while Petch punched him about the head. He also received a cut to the eye.

Together with Jonathan Crossling, Petch then burst into another room at the bedsit where Andrew Jessop was attacked.

Mr Robertson said: "His head was cut by the sword being swung by the blade and the handle contacting hard against his head."

Within 24 hours another man was attacked Fallows Court. Paul Thompson was kicked about the face and body by Petch and Jonathan Crossling after Crossling picked an argument with him.

Jonathan Crossling and Harrison are still on the run from police.

Crossling is in Spain waiting to be extradited and Harrison has not yet been arrested.

All three deny murdering Mr Singh and causing grievous bodily harm with intent, to Michael Moody.

Coleman, of Thornton STreet, North Ormesby, and Petch, of Parkhouse Farm, dunsdale, deny aggravated burglary at Southfield Road, acting together with Jonathan Crossling and Harrison.

Coleman and Petch deny wounding Mr Ward, Mr Jessop with intent, also acting together with Jonathan Crossling and Harrison.

Petch denies wounding Mr Thompson with intent.

Updated : 17:52, 05/03/2002