AUSTRALIA – A Melbourne man has appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria charged with murdering his gay housemate.
AAP reported that Aaron James Johnstone, 29, “lost it” after being propositioned by his drunken naked housemate, Phillip Higgins, in September 2006.
Johnstone told police that Higgins, who was openly gay, had come out of his bedroom and approached him saying he would like to have oral sex with him.
Prosecutor Mark Rochford SC said that Johnstone then carried out a sustained attack on Higgins, assaulting him with an 18 pound platypus statue and an office chair. He suffered numerous injuries, including a fractured bone in the neck, and abrasions and lacerations to the head.
Higgins was found lying dead on the floor of their home with a pair of underpants beside him. A post-mortem showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of .32.
Johnstone who has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge said he did not intend to kill Higgins.
The trial continues.
