A suspected Slough murder investigation has taken a surprise turn with the possibility of a second post mortem.

Phillip Deans, 36, is believed to have died from a single blow to the back of his skull while he was outside a takeaway shop in Slough High Street in the early hours of Christmas Day. He was not discovered severely injured for at least an hour and died in hospital next day.

Dawid Debski appeared in Reading Crown Court today via video link from HMP Bullingdon in Bicester, where he was being held on remand while after being charged with murdering Mr Deans.

The court was told that the defence intended to request a second post mortem. 

It is understood that the victim had also sustained a second injury, as well as the blow to his head.

John Sank, prosecuting, read from a pathologist's report telling Judge Angela Morris: "There are injuries representing two impacts, although it cannot be stated with certainty that they are related to the same incident."

The lawyer said prosecutors believed Mr Deans had left the Moon and Spoon public house in Slough shortly after 9pm on Christmas Eve and they wanted to explore what had taken place between that time and when he was found between the shops Contract Options and Peri Peri Chicken on the High Street at about 2.20am on Christmas Day.

Debski, 25, of Faraday Close, Slough, listened to the court proceedings through a Polish interpreter and was told he would return to court on March 27 to enter a formal plea, with a provisional trial date set for June 8.