Murder trial told man ‘controlled’ friend he shared a home with
A‘CONTROLLING’ man is on trial accused of murdering a dad who he shared a home with.
Andrew Anderson, also known as Andrew Aisu, 35, of Macclesfield, is in the dock at Chester Crown Court charged with killing flatmate Peter Kirkham. He denies murder.
On Tuesday, May 11, the trial, which began at the end of April, heard from Lynn Owen, the 17th witness called.
When asked if she was in a relationship with Mr Anderson Miss Owen replied ‘ a little bit’ and gave evidence that she also knew the victim.
When asked about the nature of the relationship between Mr Kirkham and the defendant she said: “After a bit I thought Andy was a bit more controlling of Pete. Pete was very quiet. A few weeks later Pete was having injuries on his face.”
Mr Kirkham, 45, died after being found with serious injuries at an address on Stirling Close, Upton Priory, in the early hours of Wednesday, September 23.
Miss Owen testified that Anderson had used Mr Kirkham’s bank card.
Although she said that Anderson had told her this was because his money was also going into the account.
The jury heard a couple of weeks before Mr Kirkham’s death Miss Owen had seen him with his ‘face mashed up’.
She said: “He had black eyes and looked at mess, I got told someone in Manchester had beat him up.
”I knew the character Pete was and knew he wouldn’t cause problems to get beat up. I said to him, he [Anderson] has done that to you.
”He said yes, it was more nodding [than verbally saying yes].”
She added: “When I realised he was being bullied a little bit it made me feel like I wanted to help him. I’d go round to see if he was alright.”
The jury also heard about an occasion Miss Owen stayed over at Mr Anderson’s flat and he was ‘aggressive’ to Mr Kirkham over a sheet used on an airbed. Miss Owen said: “It scared me because I cried.”
She said Mr Anderson had some ‘nice qualities’ so that when he appeared ‘interested’ in her she was initially also interested in him.
But added that she was put off when she ‘realised what was going on’.
Details of the day immediately before Mr Kirkham’s death were given to the court.
Miss Owen said she had taken her daughter to school and then gone round to the flat, where Mr Anderson had said he was ‘leaving for London’.
She described both Mr Anderson and Mr Kirkham as being ‘good with’ her daughter.
Anderson, of Stirling Close, denies murder and the trial is expected to last into at least next week.
PROCEEDING.