MURDER victim Lee McKnight suffered a "very severe and prolonged beating" before he died, a Home Pathologist told a jury.

Dr Brian Rogers was giving evidence at Carlisle Crown Court after he carried out a post-mortem on the body of 26-year-old Mr McKnight, whose body was "dumped" in the River Caldew near Cummersdale south of Carlisle and found early on the morning of July 24 last year.

Six people from the city deny murder.

In his testimony , Dr Rogers outlined the many injuries he found on Mr McKnight - inflicted, according to the prosecution, after he was "lured" to a terraced house in Charles Street, Carlisle, and then attacked.

Dr Rogers said he found no "cut" injuries on Mr McKnight - only 'blunt force' lacerations, caused by a mixture of being hit by the riding crop found near the body as well as punches, kicks and stamps.

On Mr McKnight's head alone, he said, there were 36 injuries, some with marks suggesting the hard end of the whip was used.

"Eighteen wounds are significant wounds," said Dr Rogers, explaining that these were consistent with the weapon having been the whip's hard handle.

The doctor said that Mr McKnight's torso was covered in injuries, and there was evidence of defensive injuries to his left hand. He had nine rib fractures, and a skull fracture.

The rib injuries were not, he concluded, consistent with attempts at resuscitation.

Describing what the post-mortem revealed, Dr Rogers said: "This was obviously very, very severe; this was prolonged by any stretch of the imagination.

"It's a prolonged and sustained assault, with a combination of a weapon, the crop or whip end of the crop and the head of the crop; and a combination of blows, such as punches, maybe slaps, stamps, or kicks.

"I'd favour stamping or kicking type injuries more for the chest trauma - for the ribs - because the damage was so extensive."

Dr Rogers said the main cause of Mr McKnight's death was drowning, but added: "In my view, Mr McKnight would not have drowned had he not been subjected to this blunt trauma assault."

Mr McKnight drowned because he was unconscious when put in the river, said the pathologist.

The six accused - who all deny murder - are Jamie Davison, 26, of Beverley Rise, Harraby; Arron Graham, 26, of Blackwell Road, Currock; Jamie Lee Roberts, 18, of Grey Street, Carlisle; his father Paul Roberts, 51, also of Grey Street; Coral Edgar, 26, of Charles Street, and her mother Carol Edgar, 47, also of Charles Street.

The prosecution say that Coral Edgar was used to "lure" Mr McKnight to Charles Street; that Davison, Graham, and Jamie Lee Roberts meted out the violence; and Carol Edgar and Paul Roberts were "helpers".

Mr McKnight was beaten up, says the prosecution, because he owed money to Davison, who was himself allegedly being "chased" by drug dealers from out of town. 

The trial is expected to last for up to eight weeks.