A Ballymoney, Co Antrim RUC man, Constable Greg Taylor, was kicked "as hard as you would kick a football", the trial at Belfast Crown Court of eight Co Antrim men accused of his murder heard yesterday.
The claim was made in taped interviews by one of the defendants, Mr Shane Brown, which were read by a detective sergeant to Belfast Crown Court. The Ballymoney man also allegedly told police so many people were kicking at the 41-year-old victim they were even hitting each other.
When asked by the detective how hard the group of about 10 people were kicking Constable Taylor, Mr Brown replied: "As hard as you would kick a football". The statement later read it was "a bad kicking that went wrong".
Mr Brown, who claimed he got involved in the attack "on the spur of the moment", allegedly admitted kicking the policeman.
The court also heard the attack may have been sparked because of Constable Taylor's alleged role in the banning of an Orange march through the village of Dunloy two weeks earlier.
"It seemed to be Dunloy - I think that's where it was all coming from," Mr Brown allegedly told detectives.
The eight who deny beating and kicking the policeman to death in the early hours of June 1st last year are: Mr Leslie Henry (31) Eastburn Crescent; Mr Alistair Stevenson (31) of Vow Road; Mr Samuel Coulter (33) of Semicock Park; Mr Mark McIntyre (29) Charlotte Street; Mr Trevor McLaughlin (25) of Long Lane; Mr Jason Wilmont (20) of Agherton Gardens; Mr Shane Brown (25) of Finvoy Road, all Ballymoney, and Dervock man Daniel Stewart (33) from McArthur Avenue. The trial continues today.