'I feel terrible, he did not deserve to die' says killer accused of murder

A KILLER who beat a fellow inmate to death in prison has told a jury he feels "terrible" that he ended his victim’s life.

- By MARTIN NAYLOR

Giving evidence at his murder trial, Andrew Thorpe said Jonathan Thornton “was not a bad person” and “did not deserve to die” at his hands.

The 38-year-old also denied he intended to kill another man he stabbed on his Edwalton doorstep a month before he attacked Mr Thornton in the shower block at Nottingham Prison.

Thorpe, of St Ann's, is on trial for the murder of Mr Thornton. He denies the charge but has previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter as an alternative, less serious, charge.

Thorpe has also previously pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Declan Hales in Edwalton but guilty to wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm on him, also as a lesser alternative.

Asked firstly about the alleged murder, defence barrister Paul Hynes KC asked his client about the incident on June 28 last year. He said Thorpe confronted Mr Thornton about alleged racist remarks he had made behind bars and beckoned him into the shower block.