The teacher, 54-year-old Tommy Johansson, was savagely beaten and killed in Hofors in eastern Sweden in April.

Two of the three 20-year-old defendants face charges of murder, but both deny the offence. The main defendant has admitted to assaulting the teacher, but claimed that it was not his intention harm him so badly.

The prosecutor demanding a long prison sentence for the main defendant but also calling for the 20-year-old man to undergo a psychological examination.

“There are no mitigating circumstances, but several more aggravating,” said prosecutor Krister Frykman during his plea.

According to the prosecutor the violence was protracted and ruthless and the teacher would probably not have been saved even if he received immediate emergency care.

The brutal assault has been described as “torture-like” and involved a large number of punches to the face, chest and stomach, as well as several kicks to the head and chest and numerous stab wounds.

According to the indictment the main defendant was responsible for the most extreme violence.

As he is aged under 21 he can’t be sentenced to life imprisonment, but Frykman argued that the crime should receive the maximum possible – 18 years imprisonment.

The man’s lawyer argued in his concluding remarks that his client should be acquitted of murder. He claimed that the man was unable to understand that his violent acts could cause death and that he never intended to harm the teacher severely.

“He is set to spend a a lengthy period of time in prison,” defence lawyer Gustaf Andersson said.

The other two defendants have denied charges of manslaughter.