Murder trial defendant does not give evidence

Audrius Zauka, 41, denies murdering car wash worker and fellow Lithuanian Sigitas Kirkickas, 51, at his house in Ingelow Avenue.

It is alleged Mr Kirkickas, also from Boston, suffered a catalogue of injuries after he was subjected to a sustained attack on ctober 23, last year.

Zauka, who denies the murder, declined to go in to the witness box to give evidence in his defence after the prosecution completed their case at Lincoln Crown Court today.

The jury heard Zauka gave a prepared statement to the police after he was arrested at an address in Boston six days after the alleged killing.

In the statement Zauka said he only lightly tapped Mr Kirkickas to the face and then shoved him away with his leg.

Zauka, an agency field worker, claims Mr Kirkickas was assaulted by another man and a woman.

During his police interviews Zauka said: “I shoved him (Sigitas) with my hand, then my leg.”

Zauka, whose wife died two days before the alleged murder, told police it did not enter his thoughts to assault Mr Kirkickas.

He claimed the attack on Mr Kirkickas happened behind his back.

“I forgot about Sigitas at that time because I had a dead wife,” he told officers.

The jury heard Zauka had known Mr Kirkickas for a “few years” and described him as a friend of the family who came and socialised.

During his police interviews Zauka denied changing his clothing after the alleged murder.

The jury were shown CCTV footage of Zauka visiting the Baltic Store in Fenside Road shortly after the prosecution allege the killing happened on 23 October.

They were also shown CCTV of Zauka visiting Frieston Post Office four days later in what the prosecution claim is a different jacket and trousers.

Zauka told police “he was on the streets” during the six days before his arrest on 29 October.

The trial continues.

For previous stories see below:

- Day 1 - Car wash worker ‘kicked, stamped on and beaten to death’ in Boston, court told

- Day 2 - Murder accused told friend ‘I’ve done it’ - jury hears

- Day 3 - Man allegedly beaten to death suffered more than 80 injuries - murder trial told

- Day 4 - Murder trial jury shown blood stain photographs