THE tragic life of a vulnerable man turned drug addict who was beaten to death before his body was dumped outside a Hampshire flat has been told to a court.

Nick Beattie was ashamed of "how far he had fallen" and shunned his family while he was assisted by a homeless charity who tried to help him get his life back on track.

But the 32-year-old had suffered a significant relapse in the months before he was allegedly killed by fellow drug addict James Russell who he had gone to take drugs with inside a Southampton flat.

His body was found by police following a 999 call, outside the property in Golden Grove, St Mary's, on March 20 last year.

Winchester Crown Court heard how Mr Beattie was a "very vulnerable" man who had "been forced to become streetwise" according to Sally Anne Cooper, a project worker at the Society of St James which helps the homeless and houses them in hostels in the city.

Giving evidence she told jurors that Mr Beattie had been on their books for around 14 months and was living at a hostel in Edelvale Road.

She told how he was "polite and cooperative" but sometimes would be "stubborn and proud" and could be easily myself and dragged in to activities he didn't want to be.

Ms Cooper told the court: "He hated being addicted to street drugs. His confidence was low, he shunned his family who he loved greatly because he didn't want them to know how far he had fallen."

She went on to describe how Mr Beattie resorted to begging but was "ashamed" when he was seen by anyone he knew, especially relatives.

The charity, which runs two hostels in the city - the other in Southampton Street - were offering him "open door" support to try an regain his independence, learn how to do basic things again like shop, budget and cook.

At Christmas 2014 he had bought a card for his family but chose not to write and send it until he was clean of drugs.

Ms Cooper continued: "He was trying very hard to see a path out of the hole he had landed in. He had a very long way to go but he didn't like where he ended up."

The court was told that Mr Beattie was a heroin and cocaine user and had been for a number of years, during which time he had been good friends with a man called David Chapman who had himself undergone drug rehabilitation.

But when that failed, the pair reunited as both relapsed together. By the end of 2014 Mr Beattie was in full relapse and "seemed to give up hope" said Ms Cooper.

The court heard how around that time he received a large benefit backlog payment of between £500 and £800 which he admitted to Ms Cooper he had blown in ten days on drugs.

Russell, 38, of no fixed abode, denies murder.

Proceeding.