Murder-accused 'scared' of flatmate, court hears

A man accused of murdering his flatmate claims he never meant to kill him and was acting in self-defence during a fight, a court has heard.

Indogan Erdogan, 32, of no fixed abode, is accused of fatally stabbing Fatih Zengi while he slept on 2 July.

But giving evidence earlier, Erdogan said he picked up a knife to protect himself because he was "very scared" of Zengi. "When I saw his fist in the air I knew he was going to beat me up. I did not attack him deliberately," he added.

Erdogan denies murder and a charge of carrying a knife in a public place.

Zengi was found with critical injuries in Manchester Road, Swindon, by a passing cyclist and later died, jurors have heard.

After the incident, the court was told Erdogan fled his flat and called his family.

Speaking through an interpreter, he claimed he told them: "Me and Fatih got into a fight. Fatih's neck was bleeding."

Erdogan told the court his flatmate had disrespected him in the past.

"He would make fun of my face, my nose…When he needed me for something he would be nice to me, if he didn't need me he would be horrible to me.

"He would make me feel down psychologically," he said.

When asked if he was trying to "demonise" his flatmate, Erdogan replied: "No. You will realise he is a disrespectful, bad character."

Erdogan told the court he had experienced a "difficult" upbringing in Turkey.

Growing up with a Kurdish father, he said he faced discrimination from his peers and was home-schooled after facing "unkind" treatment at school.

Erdogan also told jurors he had experienced trauma in his childhood which impacted his confidence.

"I become quite anxious with no future plans. I was lost," he said.

The court heard Erdogan arrived in the UK in August 2024 and was taken to a hotel in Basingstoke, before he moved to Swindon to be near relatives.

When questioned about Zengi, Erdogan said: "I was constantly nice to him and I would do everything - cleaning, even sharing my shoes or giving him my trainers.

"But in return all I had was disrespect and a horrible attitude."

The trial continues.

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