Bournemouth murder trial: Benjamin Atkins is cross-examined

Prosecutors said Benjamin Atkins lied “from start to finish” in giving his account of how Simon Shotton died.

They also accused Atkins of acting “callous and cold” in the days that followed the killing.

Atkins, 49, is currently facing trial at Winchester Crown Court, alongside Debbie Pereira, 39.

The pair are accused of murdering their lodger Simon Shotton, 49, at their flat in Aylesbury Road in Boscombe, on August 18 last year.

In giving evidence on Wednesday, Atkins accepted there had been a phone call between him and Mr Shotton at 6.57am on August 18.

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Atkins said he was out in Christchurch Road with Pereira at the time, but returned "straight home" to their flat after the phone call.

Benjamin Atkins (Image: Social Media)

He described how on arrival home, they were confronted by Mr Shotton who was holding a drugs syringe and shouting: “You better have my f****** money or I'm gonna kill you.”

However, prosecutor Paul Cavin KC noted Mr Shotton had been texting with a friend up until 8.05am, in which he was arranging to be picked up from the flat.

Mr Cavin KC said to Atkins: "Mr Shotton's still alive and not fighting with you any earlier than 8.05am, so this suggestion that when you walked in, he was up for a fight and threatening to kill you, using weapons, doesn't work does it? He's in the flat for an hour and texting a mate to pick him."

Atkins responded: "Maybe not in your mind.”

Asked about the fight that broke out with Mr Shotton, Atkins said he “tussled around” with Mr Shotton to disarm him of a knife he had.

He recalled poking at one of Mr Shotton’s eyes, and hitting him with a “beard brush” which he believed “snapped” and left a “sharp point”.

Simon Shotton (Image: Dorset Police)

Mr Cavin KC told Atkins: “The pathologist was clear, those wounds [on Mr Shotton] could not have been caused by this hairbrush you talk of, she said it had to be a bladed article."

Atkins said Mr Shotton died after he then hit him around the head “three to six times” with a bluetooth speaker.

When asked by Mr Cavin KC, “Why was it necessary to hit him so many times?", Mr Atkins said he “panicked” but claimed he used “sufficient force”.

The defendant was also asked why he didn't call an ambulance for Mr Shotton or attempt CPR. He said: “There was so much confusion, there was so much blood, I had some nasty injuries to myself."

Atkins told the court how after the killing, he moved Mr Shotton’s body outside and “started clearing up”.

Forensics at Aylesbury Road (Image: Daily Echo)

He and Pereira then made two visits to Cash Creators to sell some of Mr Shotton’s belongings.

Mr Cavin KC said to Atkins: “The first thing you do after killing a man is try and sell some items at Cash Creators. Do you think that was a rather callous, cold thing to do?"

Atkins responded: "Absolutely." When asked why he did it, the defendant said: “After what had just happened, I was far from thinking clearly. I immediately got high and sought out to get my drugs."

Mr Cavin KC also challenged Atkins on what Pereira knew about the killing, dismemberment and disposal of Mr Shotton.

Atkins and Pereira (Image: Social Media)

Atkins said: “Still to this day I don't think she knows what happened."

Mr Cavin KC replied: "That's nonsense. She was there with you."

Atkins has admitted to charges of perverting the course of justice, and preventing the burial of a corpse, but denies murder.

Pereira denies perverting the course of justice, preventing the burial of a corpse, and murder.