A RESIDENT of an Ipswich block of flats where a man was allegedly murdered heard him shouting that his flat had been broken into on the night he died, a court has heard.

IPSWICH: A resident of an Ipswich block of flats where a man was allegedly murdered heard him shouting that his flat had been broken into on the night he died, a court has heard.

In a statement read to a jury at Ipswich Crown Court, Ben Howlett said he had been asleep in his second floor flat at around 4am on October 22 when he heard what sounded like someone kicking the door of a flat on a lower floor.

He claimed he had then heard Lee Jackson who lived on the first floor of the block of flats in Chesterton Close, Ipswich shout “someone’s broken into my flat”.

Shortly afterwards Mr Howlett said he heard the 43-year-old outside the flats shouting, “whoever you are bruv, come back I’ve called the police”.

Mr Howlett said Mr Jackson repeated what he was saying several times and then came back inside and could be heard going up the stairs.

Mr Howlett could then hear four voices, including those of Mr Jackson and David Akers, who was another resident of the flats. He then heard a lot of shouting and swearing followed by a loud bang and someone shouting, “put the knife down, don’t be stupid”.

Mr Howlett’s statement was read to the jury on the third day of the trial of Sebastian Kornjaca, 22, of St Anthony’s Crescent, Ipswich, who has denied murdering Mr Jackson.

It has been alleged that Kornjaca had gone to see Mr Jackson because he suspected him of being involved in an arson attack earlier the same night at the home of his girlfriend’s parents.

Kornjaca is alleged to have stabbed Mr Jackson 27 times in a “frenzied attack motivated by revenge”.

The court has heard that the level of force used by Kornjaca was such that the tip of his knife was left embedded in Mr Jackson’s skull.

After his arrest Kornjaca claimed he had been acting in self defence after Mr Jackson attacked him with a knife.

The trial continues today.