A MAN allegedly murdered for his valuable watch had only learnt it was a genuine Rolex hours before he died.

After visiting a Wigan jewellers' 34-year-old Steven McMyler encountered Lewis Peake and a jury at Manchester Crown Court heard that, during a chat in a nearby pub , the victim mentioned his £11,000 watch.

It is alleged that 30-year-old Peake, of James Street, Little Lever, plotted to rob him of it, recruiting four strangers from Liverpool he encountered in Wigan Parish Church gardens, to help him. Mr McMyler was kicked in the face and died

On the second day of Peake's trial Mat Diable, manager of Goldsmiths jewellers told how Mr McMyler carrying a suitcase, entered his shop at 3.30pm on August 6 last year to enquire about the watch he was wearing.

In a statement read out by Mark Ford QC, Mr Diable said: "He asked if I could check his Rolex was real.

"I took a look at the watch. In my opinion it looked real but it was a vintage one. He said it was a 2006 model which he got from his friend in Thailand."

After handing him back the gold and stainless steel Rolex Submariner watch, Mr McMyler left the shop.

READ MORE: £11k Rolex murder trial

Four people are on trial in relation to Mr McMyler's death. Each denies murder, manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.

They are: Peake, Michael Wilson, aged 20, of Northfield Close Kirkby, a 17-year-old youth and a 14-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons.

A fifth man, Jordan Short, aged 19 of Rushey Hey Road, Kirkby, has been charged with the same offences but will be tried at a later date as he is unwell.

The trial continues