London:
A Briton who admitted shooting Indian student Anuj Bidve today appeared to mock the ongoing trial by saying, "I love prison. I get to watch Coronation Street. Does this face look bothered?"
Under cross-examination, Kiaran Stapleton was asked by prosecutor Brian Cummings why he decided to get a tattoo on his face two days after the killing.
He claimed that the "killer" teardrop tattoo did to not refer to Bidve's shooting but to the death of a fish. Bidve, 23, was murdered on December 26 last year in Salford.
Stapleton, who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but nor murder, told the jury at the Manchester Crown Court that he did not want to discuss the goldfish because he might receive "animal cruelty" letters in prison, reports from Manchester said.
Cummings asked, "Are you being serious or are you making fun of the proceedings?", to which he replied "No, no, I'm being serious."
He went on to say to the jury, "I love prison. I get to watch Coronation Street. It's got a phat canteen... Lock me up. Does this face look bothered?'
Stapleton said the tattoo had several meanings, including signifying the wearer had killed someone, and that he told staff at the tattoo shop that he had killed his goldfish.
He maintained that was the reason for the tattoo but then told the prosecutor he did not wish to talk further about the goldfish.
"I don't wish to discuss that," he said. "I might have animal cruelty sending letters to me," in prison.
Under cross-examination, Kiaran Stapleton was asked by prosecutor Brian Cummings why he decided to get a tattoo on his face two days after the killing.
He claimed that the "killer" teardrop tattoo did to not refer to Bidve's shooting but to the death of a fish. Bidve, 23, was murdered on December 26 last year in Salford.
Stapleton, who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but nor murder, told the jury at the Manchester Crown Court that he did not want to discuss the goldfish because he might receive "animal cruelty" letters in prison, reports from Manchester said.
Cummings asked, "Are you being serious or are you making fun of the proceedings?", to which he replied "No, no, I'm being serious."
He went on to say to the jury, "I love prison. I get to watch Coronation Street. It's got a phat canteen... Lock me up. Does this face look bothered?'
Stapleton said the tattoo had several meanings, including signifying the wearer had killed someone, and that he told staff at the tattoo shop that he had killed his goldfish.
He maintained that was the reason for the tattoo but then told the prosecutor he did not wish to talk further about the goldfish.
"I don't wish to discuss that," he said. "I might have animal cruelty sending letters to me," in prison.
