‘SUSPECT TRIED TO CARVE RAT INTO DEAD PAL’S BODY’

A MAN charged with kicking his friend to death allegedly admitted to carrying out a “cold-hearted murder”, a court heard yesterday.

Lithuanian national Sarunas Nauburaitis, 34, is accused of killing Maris Ludborzs at his home in North

Belfast. He told police he tried to carve the word “rat” in the chest of the dead man whose body lay undiscovered for up to a week, it was previously revealed.

Nauburaitis, of Oakley Street in the city, is charged with murdering Mr Ludborzs, 44, some time between May 15 and 20 this year. He was again refused bail after a detective said he poses an unmanageable risk to the public.

She told Belfast Magistrates Court: “That’s based on his history of drug use, including heroin and alcohol dependency, [and] his full and frank admission to what he himself called a cold-hearted murder.”

Defence lawyers insist Nauburaitis made no admissions. District Judge Fiona Bagnall was told a preliminar y enquir y is to proceed next month.

HEARING Laganside