April 4, 2017 3.05 pm This story is over 83 months old

Murder trial hears victim was attacked in her living room before being dragged into bathroom

A forensic scientist told a murder trial that factory worker Marina Erte was initially attacked in the living room of her Boston flat. Dr Neil Simpson, giving evidence on the sixth day of the trial of Marina’s estranged husband Gytis Griskevicius, told the jury at Lincoln Crown Court that the Marina’s blood was discovered in…
Lincoln Crown Court inside Lincoln Castle. Photo: File/Lincolnshire Reporter

A forensic scientist told a murder trial that factory worker Marina Erte was initially attacked in the living room of her Boston flat.

Dr Neil Simpson, giving evidence on the sixth day of the trial of Marina’s estranged husband Gytis Griskevicius, told the jury at Lincoln Crown Court that the Marina’s blood was discovered in both the living room and bathroom of her upstairs flat in Elizabeth Road, Boston.

Dr Simpson, a blood pattern analyst who examined the scene of the death, said: “In my opinion the findings indicate that Marina Erte was assaulted in the living room.

“This has been in an area in front of the television where she has been bleeding.

“She has then been dragged into the bathroom where she has been further assaulted and has she has been placed in the bath.”

The jury has previously been told that Marina’s naked body was found in the bath at her home.

The property was badly smoke damaged from a carpet being set fire to.

The prosecution alleges that Griskevicius celebrated his birthday with his housemates and then went to Marina’s flat where he severely beat her leaving her with a traumatic brain injury.

He is alleged to have placed her body in the bath and drowned her by holding a shower attachment against her face.

He is alleged to have then set fire to the flat in a bid to destroy the property,

William Harbage QC, prosecuting, earlier told the jury that Griskevicius was jealous that Marina had formed a new relationship with another man.

Griskevicius, 32, of St Ann’s Lane, Boston, denies the murder of Marina Erte on May 20, 2016.

At the time of her death Marina Erte was working at the FESA fruit packing company in Spalding.

The trial continues.