Murder trial told of 10-pints drinking spree

A man accused of beating to death a Black Country neighbour after a drinking spree confessed to hitting him up to eight times but insisted: "I didn't think I had hurt him."

Paul Timmins, aged 28, told Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday that he had drunk 10 cans or pints of lager and was feeling "a bit hyper" when he started to punch 31-year-old Lee "Chippy" Chipchase.

He had returned from a pub to the house where both had flats in Lodge Road, West Bromwich, late on November 13 last year.

Timmins said he went to the home of Mr Chipchase where the victim and his friend Shaun Fletcher had been drinking cider.

Timmins explained to the jury: "I said 'what are you drinking that stuff for?' because it was bad for them and made them ill. I told them that they should be drinking lager.

"Then I started messing about and punching them both saying 'keep off the cider'.

"I was also jabbing them with my finger. I punched Lee in his chest, side and back.

"I punched him about eight times and winded him twice.

"I was just messing about but you do not know how much strength you use when you punch someone.

"I was drunk and sometimes you can catch people harder than you think.

"I didn't hit anybody with a beer can, pick up a knife or bite anybody.

"Then I sat listening to music and was dropping asleep and so got up, said 'see you later' and went.

"In the morning I went up to Chippy's flat and he was lying on his back on the bed with his feet on the ground.

Somebody said he was dead and that shocked me.

"I started trying to resuscitate him but left it to the ambulanceman when he arrived.

He turned round and said 'we have lost him — he has gone too far.'"

Timmins admitted that he lied to police about what had happened in the aftermath of the tragedy and explained: "I panicked."

Timmins denies the murder and manslaughter of Mr Chipchase and assaulting Mr Fletcher.

The case continues today.