Sword murder accused 'killed friend over mum insult'

Mohamed Megherbi's body was discovered last November in woodland

A man used a 2ft (61cm) sword to kill a friend for insulting his mother and then burnt his body in woodland, a murder trial has heard.

Kane Burns denies murdering Mohamed Megherbi and burying his remains in a shallow grave in Cardiff.

The 24-year-old was last seen on 9 October and his body found on 30 November.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Mr Burns told a friend: "I stabbed him up because he was saying stuff about my mother."

'Sword near burial site'

Prosecutor Michael Jones said Mr Megherbi, who was originally from Algeria, sustained catastrophic, fatal head injuries.

"Kane Burns then made every conceivable effort to conceal that murder," he said.

"Burns took great efforts to dispose and bury the body in a shallow grave in a woodland."

Kane Burns denies murder at his trial at Cardiff Crown Court

Jurors were told how neighbours described hearing "loud banging" and arguing between two men at Mr Burns' flat in Llanedeyrn, Cardiff.

After the commotion, Mr Burns, 26, bought lighter fluid and matches at a nearby petrol station, returning twice to buy bleach, paper towels and more lighter fluid.

When staff asked about the volume of lighter fluid he was buying, he told them it was for a fire and he asked how he could make the fire hotter, the court heard.

In an unrelated raid on his flat, police spotted blood on the furniture and blinds, samples of which matched Mr Megherbi.

Mr Jones said forensic anthropologists concluded Mr Megherbi's skull fractures were consistent with a sharp impact from an object such as a machete, axe or cleaver.

"Police recovered an axe and a machete from [Mr] Burns' flat and a sword was found near the burial site with Mr Megherbi's blood on the tip," said Mr Jones.

The trial continues.