Squatter charged with Stonebridge murder tells court he hit victim three times during row
Body of Pole found in disused Unisys office block in December 2010
A squatter accused of beating a scrap-metal thief to death has told the Old Bailey he only hit the victim three times.
Krsztof Szafisz, 34, and two other Polish men are accused of murdering Marcin Porczek during a row over money in December 2010.
The body of the 37-year-old was found in the derelict Unisys building in Harrow Road, Stonebridge, where all three men were squatting.
A post mortem concluded he had died after suffering severe head injuries, a fractured voice box, broken shoulder and a series of cracked ribs .
Jurors have heard that the fight started after Mr Porczek was accused of failing to share the proceeds of selling scrap metal taken from the
Szafisz, who ha been staying at the property for three months, said he got involved in the argument when Mr Porczek threw a stick at him.
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He said: “I approached Marcin and I hit him with my open hand, either on the side or back of his head twice.
“I kicked him once on his bottom. Then I sat down on the mattress.”
He claimed he watched the row continue for another five minutes before leaving the building.
Szafisz claimed he returned later in the evening and only realised Mr Porczek had been fatally injured the next morning.
He said: “When I first woke up I thought he was still asleep.
“I thought he was so drunk that he didn’t make it back to his mattress.”
Two other Poles staying at the building, Piotr Kulik, 30, and Andrzej Mikolajek, 54, have blamed Szafisz for the fatal injuries.
The court has heard the victim’s blood was found on the clothing of all three men.
Kulik, Szafisc, and Mikolajek, all of no fixed address, deny murder.
The trial continues.
