This Article is From Jul 05, 2012

Bidve killer says his mind went blank

Bidve killer says his mind went blank
London: A Briton standing trial for the shooting of Indian student Anuj Bidve on December 26 last year told the Manchester Crown Court on Thursday that his mind "went blank" at the time, and claimed that he was not aware that he had shot someone.

Kiaran Stapleton, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but denies murder.

The trial, which began on June 25, is being attended by Bidve's parents, who have arrived from Pune.

Stapleton said that he "didn't even know where I shot the guy", and added that he had "just raised my hand, shot it and then ran".

He said he did not know that he had killed Bidve until "it came on the news saying a man's been shot dead".

Bidve, a student at Lancaster University, was with eight Indian friends walking through the Ordsall area of Salford on way to the Boxing Day sales when he was fatally injured.

Stapleton fled the scene of crime but was arrested within days.

He added that he had felt "nothing" on finding out the following morning that he had killed Bidve.

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