AN IPSWICH man accused of murdering a homosexual told police he had felt intimidated when the man put his hand on his thigh.

During interviews after his arrest Rodney Greenland said he had gone back to 36-year-old Simon Amers’ flat in Widgeon Close, Ipswich for a drink after meeting him while out drinking in the town centre and had made it clear to him that he wasn’t gay.

“I said ‘By the way I’m not gay. I’m just here for a chat and a drink’,” Greenland told police.

He said that once at the flat Mr Amers had got them a drink and had then sat down next to him on the settee.

At that stage Mr Amers had been bare-chested and Greenland had felt uncomfortable because of sexual abuse he had suffered at boarding school.

“It brought back memories from a long time ago,” he told police.

He claimed that Mr Amers had then squeezed his thigh and looked straight into his eyes and smiled at him.

Greenland had pushed Mr Amers’ hand away and said, “I’ve already told you I’m not that way inclined.”

He said he had felt intimidated and had moved away.

He claimed that Mr Amers had then grabbed at his thigh again, but this time it was nearer to his genital area.

Greenland told police that he reacted by standing up and telling Mr Amers, “I told you no.”

Greenland had gone into the toilet and then into the kitchen where he had picked up a kitchen knife.

Mr Amers had come into the kitchen behind him and put a hand on his shoulder at which point Greenland had lunged at him with knife, stabbing him twice in the chest. He had then slashed at Mr Amers’ throat and Mr Amers had fallen down a staircase.

Greenland had gone down the stairs and after detecting a weak pulse in Mr Amers’ neck he had gone back upstairs where he had removed his blood soaked socks and put some plastic bags on his feet under his shoes and left the flat.

Greenland, 47, of Manchester Road, Ipswich has denied murdering Mr Amers between July 27-30 last year. The court has heard that he has admitted an offence of manslaughter.

Ipswich Crown Court has heard that In the days following Mr Amers’ death Greenland confessed to killing someone to friends, family, a doctor and the police but was not initially believed because he couldn’t remember the address where it had happened and no-one had reported finding a body.

Mr Amers’ naked body was eventually discovered on July 30 by a friend who had let herself into his flat after becoming concerned at not being able to contact him. A post-mortem examination found that Mr Amers had died from blood loss as a result of seven stabs wounds to his chest and abdomen and slash wounds to his throat.

The trial continues today.