Murder suspects blames beer

A 54 year old man who was taken to court for stabbing his co-tenant  to his death and cutting a neighbour who wanted to restrain him on his hand blamed his actions on booze.

Kevin Gerald Raftopolous of Braeside Haraere in his warned and cautioned statement said he was dead drunk and could not remember anything when he allegedly committed the offence.  He is being charged with assault after he allegedly  cut Lance Dante Lovell on his hand.
"I deny the charge. I only remember that i had an altercation with my roommate Antony James and the complainant attempted to intervene. He could have been caught up in the fight. I was dead drunk and I don't remember what exactly happened. I never intended to assault complainant at all," he said.

He is alleged to have  killed the now deceased on February 6 after and they had a misunderstanding  which ended with two quarreling at midnight. Raftopoulos stabbed his roommate on the chest and he screamed which attracted the attention of Lance who rushed to the room and saw him lying while bleeding profusely. Lance quarreled with the accused and he also cut him. He was later arrested  for murder and assault.