A man accused of murdering window cleaner Roy Helm told a drinking partner he thought Mr Helm's "chest had caved in", a jury heard yesterday at Oxford Crown Court. John Beckley, 42, denies the charge.
Mr Helm was found dead with 20 rib fractures and a ruptured liver, following an incident in August in a flat in St Nicholas Road, Littlemore.
Daniel Wright said he spoke to Beckley in a pub the morning after Mr Helm was found dead.
He said: "He (Beckley) told me he thought Roy had died.
"I said 'what do you mean Roy is dead?'. He said 'I think his chest has caved in'.
"I picked up from the conversation there had been an altercation between drunk people."
He said Beckley told him Mr Helm had called Beckley's girlfriend, a 'slag' or whore', causing the altercation.
He added: "He didn't know if Roy was dead there and then.
"He said 'I think Roy has died', but didn't go into who had done it."
Beckley earlier blamed Lynn Cook, his girlfriend, for the killing.
The trial continues.
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