The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Women beat man to death, jury hears
Two women kicked and stamped a man to death in his Peterborough home before hiding his body in a cupboard, a jury has heard. Stella McNulty has admitted the murder of Nigel Clarke ( 49), but Erika Butkeviciene denies the charge.
Two women kicked and stamped a Peterborough man to death in his own home before putting his body in a cupboard, a court heard.
Nigel Clarke’s body was found on the floor in his flat in Eastfield Road, Peterborough in August last year.
He had suffered a number of injuries, including fractured ribs, a broken nose and neck injuries.
A day after it is alleged the murder took place, Erika Butkeviciene is said to have confessed her and Stella McNulty’s crime to friends in Stanley Park, telling them: “We killed a man last night.”
Butkeviciene ( 47) of no fixed abode denies Mr Clarke’s murder.
McNulty pleaded guilty to the murder on Wednesday last week, moments before the trial was set to get underway.
Cambridge Crown Court was told how Mr Clarke ( 49) had an “ordinary Tuesday” before meeting the pair during the evening of August 21 last year, with CCTV footage showing the trio walking in City Road towards his flat.
Prosecutor Christopher Morgan said: “Butkeviciene was part of an unlawful assault.
“She participated in it and kicked and stamped on this man, whowas beaten into unconsciousness and was left to die.”
Mr Clarke was discovered on August 29 by maintenance worker Carl Stones, who had come to inform him of work due to take place at the property.
Mr Morgan said fracture injuries to the nose, neck and left- hand- side rib, as well as forensic analysis of the flat, showed a violent assault had taken place in the bedroom.
Mr Morgan said the rib fractures were “consistent with the chest cavity being stamped upon”
A day after the murder Butkeviciene is said to have seen her friend Sigitas Vaicu-nas, known as ‘ CJ’, in Stanley Park, not far from Mr Clarke’s flat, and told him what happened.
“I need t o change my clothes,” the Lithuanian reportedly said to him. “You’re the only person I can trust.”
The clothing was never found by police.
Mr Morgan alleged they had disposed of them as potential evidence.
CCTV footage from August 25 showed the pair walking together, leading Mr Morgan to conclude: “In the days afterwards she and McNulty were carrying on life as if nothing had happened.
“Two people know exactly what happened in the flat - Stella McNulty and this defendant.”
McNulty ( 46), also of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the murder on the basis that she intended to cause serious harm but had not meant to kill him.
Despite admitting her guilt, Mr Morgan said she had not revealed a motive for her crime yet.
The trial continues.