Murder Trial: Defendant denies having a 'plan' to kill victim

A Castletown man has denied hatching “a plan” to get rid of the 60-year-old man he believed his wife was having an affair with.

46-year-old Ian Anderson is standing trial for the murder of Ballabeg man Neil Roberts in December 2013.

Under cross examination yesterday Anderson told the jury he had returned from working in London earlier than planned on November 29^th because he was “unsettled” after failing to get hold of his wife.

"Did you come back to take matters into your own hands?" Anderson was asked by the prosecutor – “No” he replied. "Did you hatch a plan to get rid once and for all?" Anderson was asked – “No” he replied again.

Anderson told the court he picked Mr Roberts up the following evening after he called to say he’d crashed his car – the two men ended up drinking in Port Erin before returning to Castletown.

When asked if this was part of a plan he’d hatched to get Mr Roberts drunk Anderson replied “Not at all. I never had a plan”.

Anderson claims Mr Roberts later attacked him three times – he was quizzed by the prosecutor as to why he didn’t call the police after the first altercation.

“You pursued him because you wanted him dead, didn’t you Mr Anderson,” the prosecutor said. “No – I just wanted him to leave,” replied Anderson.

Neil Robert’s body was found by police at the Anderson’s home on Queen Street in the early hours of December 1^st 2013.

When asked if he regretted what he had done Anderson told the court he was “deeply, truly, saddened” by what had happened saying “it didn’t need to happen”.

Ian Anderson denies murder. The trial continues.