Rolandas Poskus death: Hull murder accused 'acted in self-defence'

A man accused of murdering his mother's partner with the help of a friend acted in "self-defence", a court has heard.

Rolandas Poskus, 52, was found dead on Dane Park Road, Hull, on 15 June.

Giving evidence via an interpreter, Mantas Pundzius told Hull Crown Court he "lost self-control" after being struck on the head by Mr Poskus.

Mr Pundzius, 24, and Stanislovas Bozys, 28, from Hull, both deny murder. Mr Pundzius's mother Janina Milieskiene denies assisting an offender.

Mr Pundzius said he went to a home on Arthur Street, which Mr Poskus shared with Ms Milieskiene, after receiving a distressed phone call from his mother.

He told jurors he drove to the house with his friend Mr Bozys because "I thought I'll need his help".

Mr Pundzius said that upon arrival he found his mother sobbing and "very scared", and Mr Bozys remained in the car.

"She was stuttering and she pointed upstairs to me," he told the court.

Mr Pundzius said he found Mr Poskus in the master bedroom and told him to "move out".

The pair then started fighting, which spilled out into the landing and staircase, Mr Pundzius said.

"I hit him back many times. It was just in defence," he told the court.

Mr Pundzius said he "froze a few seconds" when Mr Poskus stopped moving after he fell to the bottom of stairs following a blow.

He described in court how he dragged Mr Poskus "by his feet" out to the car where Mr Bozys helped him put the 52-year-old into the vehicle.

The court previously heard Mr Poskus had suffered 27 rib fractures, as well as severe injuries to his brain, body and organs.

His semi-naked body was found in grassland by dog walkers.

Prosecutors said Mr Poskus had been stamped on, kicked, thrown down stairs and hit by a blunt force weapon.

The trial continues.