Gay man 'murdered after unwanted sexual advances'

Rodney Greenland, 47, stabbed 36-year-old Simon Amers to death after Mr Amers stroked his leg, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Mr Amers was found naked and face down in a pool of blood in his flat, prosecutors said.

The men had both been drinking in Ipswich when they met in a pub late at night before going back to Mr Amers's flat on July 27 last year, jurors were told.

Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said Greenland told police the men had agreed to go back to Mr Amers's flat for a drink.

Greenland told officers that Mr Amers stroked his leg and that he asked him to stop.

He said he moved into the kitchen and Mr Amers followed him in and tapped him on the shoulder.

Greenland told detectives that he had picked up a knife and slashed at Mr Amers who then fell down the stairs.

Mr Jackson said that a number of attacks took place inside Mr Amers's flat.

"A forensic scientist will tell you that Mr Amers received seven stab wounds to his chest and abdomen and there were slash wounds to his throat," he said.

"There were also defensive wounds on his fingers."

Jurors were told that Greenland removed his blood drenched socks and left them in Mr Amers's bedroom. He then put plastic bags on his feet followed by his shoes and then left the flat in Widgeon Close, Ipswich.

Mr Jackson said that at about 2am Greenland banged on the door of a friends home and said 'I have killed someone'.

"He was not believed because he was drunk," said Mr Jackson.

The next afternoon police officers found Greenland drunk and slumped against his front door, the court was told.

"He told them he had killed a man and that when the police found the body he would hand himself in," said Mr Jackson.

"The police took him around the area to see if he could identify Mr Amers's address but he could not remember.

"The police, because of the defendant's state of drunkenness, formed the view that nothing had happened and the defendant was returned home."

The court heard that on July 30, 2009, Mr Amers's body was found by a friend and Greenland was arrested.

Mr Jackson told jurors that Greenland had previously admitted manslaughter in relation to the death.

The trail continues and is expected to last seven days.