Ipswich: A man who denies murdering an Ipswich alcoholic has claimed he tried to help his alleged victim after finding him covered in blood and bruises.

Timothy Bailey, 29, was giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court where together with three others he is accused of the murder of Martin Edwards.

The body of Mr Edwards, 45, was found at a flat in Piper’s Court, Ipswich on Christmas Day. A post mortem examination showed he had suffered 228 separate injuries.

Bailey, of Old Foundry Road, Ipswich, told the jury that he had been drinking at the flat that night and returned from the kitchen to find Mr Edwards sitting on a bed with two black eyes “like golf balls” and covered in blood and bruises.

Denying prosecution claims he had been “smirking” when he saw Mr Edwards, Bailey said he had handed the victim tissues to help clear away the blood from his face.

Bailey denied having stubbed out cigarettes on Mr Edwards or having poured washing powder over his head.

Bailey said he had fallen asleep on the kitchen floor, waking at 8am on Christmas Day to find Mr Edwards dead in bed.

He said: “He wouldn’t wake up.”

Also present were Joseph Heggarty, 51, of Limerick Close, Ipswich, and Christopher Page, 33, of Old Foundry Road, Ipswich, said Bailey. They have also pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Edwards.

Bailey said: “We just sat there for a couple of hours thinking, what the hell could we do.”

Bailey, who claimed to have planned to go to Ipswich police station but lost his way, was arrested later that day.

Also on trial is Nicki Edwards, 37, of St Clement’s Church Lane, Ipswich, who denies a charge of murder. After their arrests Page, Heggarty and Edwards all blamed Bailey for Mr Edwards’s death.

The trial continues.