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Murder Trial: Accused asked wife to kill him

Tue, 31 Mar 2015

A Castletown man who is standing trial for murder has told a court he picked up a knife and asked his wife to kill him.

46-year-old Ian Anderson is accused of murdering Ballabeg gardener Neil Roberts in 2013 - the 60-year-old's body was found at his home on Queen Street in the early hours of December 1st.

At Douglas Courthouse yesterday Anderson took to the witness box to give his version of events claiming Mr Roberts attacked him three times.

Describing how he was in fear of his life he said he punched and kicked him in order to try and get away from him - during the third attack he was punched in the face by Mr Roberts again.

Anderson told the court he couldn't remember what happened after that but could remember Mr Roberts being face down on the living room floor.

His wife, he said, was screaming at him "you're dead" - in response Anderson said he went into the kitchen, picked up the biggest knife he could find and told his wife "go on then kill me".

After she refused he returned the knife to its holder and said he went back to Mr Roberts rolling him onto his back where he could see his eyes were swollen and there was blood in his mouth.

He told jurors he was "in no state to make an assessment" of his medical needs but did try to help him - describing it as like an "out of body experience".

Anderson told jurors he then phoned an ambulance but had "very little memory of what happened after that".

He denies murder - the trial continues. 

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