Bolshoi acid attack accused tells court of 'shock'

The Bolshoi Ballet dancer accused of masterminding an attack on the theatre's artistic director, Sergei Filin, has said that he did not mean for him to be splashed with acid.

Pavel Dmitrichenko - who appeared in a Moscow court with two other men accused of helping carry out the attack - claims he did accept an offer from alleged accomplice Yury Zarutsky to "beat the victim", but did not mean for it to go so far.

"I couldn't believe that this person, who offered to beat him up, did such a thing with acid", he said.

A judge ordered Mr Dmitrichenko be held in custody for six weeks while authorities investigate the 17 January attack.