Branston double murder accused 'was mentally ill'

The bodies of Premm Monti and Robert Tully were discovered at a house in Branston in August

The brother of a man accused of strangling their mother and killing her partner with a hammer told a jury he believed his sibling was mentally ill.

Dr Premm Monti, 51, and Robert Tully, 71, were discovered dead in Lincoln Road, Branston, in August last year.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Andrei-Mihai Simion-Munteanu admitted killing them, but denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The court heard he had previously spent time in a psychiatric hospital.

The 22-year-old, of Lincoln Road, Branston, denies two charges of murder between 28 and 29 July 2019.

'Killed his mother'

Mr Simion-Munteanu was arrested at Aberdeen airport after being found lying in Mr Tully's car, which he had used to travel around the UK for several days following the killings, the jury was told.

Michael Auty, prosecuting, said: "The defendant immediately volunteered that he had killed his mother."

The court heard he strangled his mother, and then attacked Mr Tully, repeatedly hitting him with a hammer.

His brother, Paul, told the court "everyone got on well but looking back there were signs of mental disturbance in Andrei".

'Few friends'

He said on one occasion his brother refused to go on a family trip to Romania because he wanted to hurt himself.

The court also heard the defendant had few friends and would only leave the house to attend university or the gym.

When asked if he believed his brother was mentally ill, he replied: "Yes".

The jury previously heard the defendant, who had failed his final exams at the University of Lincoln where he was studying computer studies, had also been diagnosed with depression.

The trial continues.

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