Murder Trial: Victim had over 40 injuries

Tuesday, 3 March 2015 00:00

A Ballabeg man who was found dead at a house in Castletown in 2013 had suffered over 40 injuries - including having almost every bone in his face broken.

That's what the jury was told yesterday on the first day of the murder trial against 46-year-old Ian Anderson.

The prosecution started proceedings by outlining the case against him; saying he'd deliberately caused the death of 60-year-old Neil Roberts adding "it is clear that the killing is murder".

Mr Robert's body was found at the house Anderson and his wife lived at on Queen's Street in the early hours of December 1st.

The court heard the married couple were friends with the gardener - with prosecutors claiming he and Mrs Anderson were having an "intimate relationship" which Anderson knew about.

On the evening of Saturday, November 30th, the three were said to be drinking and talking at the house, but the atmosphere changed when Mrs Anderson and Mr Roberts told Anderson they were planning to move in together.

This, the prosecution argued, led to the two men becoming involved in a physical altercation - after trying to intervene, Mrs Anderson was reportedly knocked unconscious, coming round to see Mr Robert's body on the floor covered in blood.

After a further altercation between the husband and wife, emergency services were called - with Anderson telling them he had been assaulted and was acting in self-defence.

Despite the efforts of paramedics, Mr Roberts was pronounced dead at the scene and Anderson was arrested for murder.

During police interview, he told police that both his wife and Mr Roberts had been on top of him and he was "fighting for his life".

He denies charges of murder and of assault causing actual bodily harm. The trial continues.