The victim’s body was found in a flat in Leicester, in the afternoon of April 14. Martin Green, 50, initially denied murdering Stuart Morris but then pleaded guilty
Stuart Morris’ body was found in a flat in Heathcott Road, Leicester (Image: Leicestershire Police WS)
A man mutilated his friend’s body after stabbing him to death following a drinking night.
Martin Green, 50, initially denied murdering Stuart Morris but then pleaded guilty.
The victim’s body was found in Green’s flat in Heathcott Road, Saffron Lane, in Leicester, in the afternoon of April 14, Leicestershire Live reports.
The defendant spent the night before the killing drinking at the victim’s home in Russell Street, off Saffron Lane, according to the publication.
The following day at 8am, the two men took a taxi to go to Green’s flat – which is where the murder happened in the afternoon.
The police were alerted by a neighbour and attended the scene at about 5.25pm.
Green used a vacuum cleaner pole and a knife to inflict the fatal injuries on Mr Morris, according to Leicestershire Live.
The victim died because of a combination of trauma to his head and knife wounds, it was reported.
In court the prosecutor made reference to the defendant “mutilating the deceased’s body after the events,” in an attempt to impede a criminal investigation.
He said this was an aggravating feature of the case.
Green was due to stand trial at Leicester Crown Court today, with the prosecution expected to open the Crown’s case.
The jury was sworn in yesterday.
Green’s defence counsel, Michael Auty QC, spent more than an hour with the defendant in the court cells this morning, before the proceedings started.
Mr Auty told Judge Philip Head: “The case won’t proceed to trial.”
The jury was brought into court to see Green, dressed in a baggy grey tracksuit, pleading guilty to the murder of his friend, 50-year-old Mr Morris.
Judge Head then told the jurors: “Yesterday when the clerk read out the charge of murder you were put in charge to say whether the defendant was guilty or not guilty.
“It’s your responsibility to return the verdict in the case.
“You know very little about the case, you know no more than the charge.
“You now have the best possible evidence the defendant is guilty – because he has admitted it in front of you.”
One of the jurors then announced a guilty verdict on the judge’s direction.
Mr Auty said: “In due course there will be only one sentence and that’s imprisonment for life.”
The judge then told the jury that Green had a “large number of criminal convictions” on his record, mainly for dishonesty.
Judge Head said to the prosecutor, Pavlos Panayi QC: “He has not got any convictions for a high degree of violence in the past?”
Mr Panayi replied: “That’s correct, he has not.”
The prosecutor added: “A good number of people were affected by this awful crime and they are processing what has happened today.
“They should now have time to consider what they would like to say (in personal impact statements).”
Mr Morris has four daughters and a step-daughter.
He also has five grandchildren, two brothers and two sisters.
Following the hearing a spokesperson for the family said: “We are all shocked and overwhelmed at this turn of events.”
The judge adjourned sentencing until Thursday.
Green was remanded back into custody.
