The families of Premm Monti and Robert Tully released a photograph of the couple. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police
A student on trial for the murders of his mum and her partner admitted to a jury that he killed both of them and said he thought it would make him happy.
Andrei-Mihai Simion-Munteanu at Lincoln Crown Court was asked by his barrister Andrew Campbell-Tiech whether he killed his mum.
He replied “yes”.
Mr Campbell-Tiech then asked him “and a few hours later in the early hours of the morning of 30 July you killed Robert Tully?”
He again responded “yes.”
Simion-Munteanu was then asked why he killed them. He said: “I thought that I am evil and if I did that I would be happy.”
He went on to tell the jury that on July 16 last year he took the decision to kill both his mother Leela Monti and her partner Robert Tully which he enacted two weeks later.
“I spent time to think of a solution to fix everything. At some point, evil came to my mind. One second it wasn’t there and then it was.
“I didn’t doubt that I was evil. It became the centre of my thinking.
“Since I was evil, if I did an evil act I would be happy and my depression would go away.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
“I decided to kill my mother because it was the most evil thing I could do. I killed Robert because killing two people would be even worse. So it would be a great evil so that I could be happy for the rest of my life.”
He went on to explain how he killed the couple saying he told his mother he had a surprise for her and asked her to go into his bedroom.
“She liked surprises. It seemed like the best way to convince her to come into my room.
“I asked her to lay on her stomach. With my left hand I covered her nose and mouth and with my right hand I strangled her. I did it because I wanted to be happy. Afterwards I felt awful.”
He said he then waited almost six hours for Mr Tully to wake up.
“He asked me where his wife was. He went to check the bathroom. I suggested he check the kitchen. He went into the kitchen and I hit him once from behind. He collapsed on the floor. I hit him four or five times. He wasn’t moving.”
Simion-Munteanu told the jury that neither of his victims deserved to die.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Michael Auty QC, prosecuting, has told the jury that after carrying out the killings Simion-Munteanu went on a tour around Great Britain in Mr Tully’s car visiting Salisbury, Cornwall, Cardiff, Holyhead and Glasgow before arriving in Aberdeen where he was arrested.
The jury has heard that the defendant developed mental health problems while studying at the University of Lincoln and had previously made attempts on his own life.
He was diagnosed with depression and while on an internship in the USA he was admitted to a psychiatric unit as a result of self harming. He was discharged after a week and prescribed medication but stopped taking it soon after returning to the UK in April 2019.
His defence team say he is guilty of manslaughter through diminished responsibility rather than murder.
Andrei-Mihai Simion-Munteanu, 22, of Lincoln Road, Branston, denies the murders of Leela Monti, 51, originally from Romania, and Robert Tully, 71, originally from the United States between July 27 and August 6 2019.
The trial continues.
Spotted an error? Please notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
Phase two of the works at Speakers’ Corner in Lincoln is well underway and expected to finish on schedule this summer.
Phase two, which began on Monday, January 11, will see existing paving upgraded, as well as new street furniture being installed.
It will follow the first phase which was completed and open to the public on December 22, with a new bench put in place around the existing London Plane tree, instead of the demolished kiosk.
Speakers Corner bench is in place, but closed off until phase two paving works are finished. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Site setup for phase two is complete, with workers on site currently digging out the existing hard paving standings at the Cornhill.
A large portion of the area has been fenced off while work takes place, leaving just two pedestrian strips on either side to access both the High Street and the Cornhill Quarter.
There is limited access in the area while works take place. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Despite the cold and wet weather throughout January, progress of the paving removal has not been affected.
This means that phase two works are still on course to be finished in summer this year.
It is hoped that once the area is completed, the walkways will blend in with those at Exchange Square, as well as utilising the space for events.
A look at how the finished development will look. | Illustration: City of Lincoln Council
Bin collections in Boston and in parts of East Lindsey will be suspended for the rest of the week due to COVID-related staff absences.
The collections will be suspended from Wednesday, January 27 as a number of East Lindsey District Council’s and Boston Borough Council’s waste crews either have coronavirus or are self-isolating.
Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council said it is not a decision that has been taken lightly and it is necessary for the service to be suspended in some southern parts of the district until Monday, February 1.
From Monday, waste collections are expected to continue as normal.
Households impacted by the disruption can present any accumulated side waste in black refuse sacks alongside their black bins on their next scheduled bin collection.
The following areas are affected:
Boston
Friskney
Eastville
New Leake
Stickford
Coningsby (part)
Coningsby Moorside
Dalderby
Haltham
Mareham Le Fen
Moorby
N Bolingbroke
Revesby
Scrivelsby
Tumby
Tumby Moorside
Tumby Woodside
Wilksby
Wood Enderby
Carrington
Dogdyke
Frithville
Gypsey Bridge
New Bolingbroke
New York
Scrub Hill
Thornton Le Fen
Westville
Antons Gowt
Cowbridge
Fishtoft
Frithville
Langrick
Sibsey
East Keal
East Kirkby
Hagnaby
Keal Coates
Midville
Stickney
Toynton All Saints
West Keal
Victoria Burgess, Assistant Director for Operations at the council, said: “Over the past couple of days it has proved a real challenge to keep the service going with a number of rounds having not been completed due to staff absences.
“With more crews off again today we needed to take action now and suspending the service is the only realistic option available to us to keep everyone safe – something we’ve worked hard to avoid.
“Our workforce has done an amazing job over the past year and they’ve received much praise from the community and are grateful for your continued good wishes.”
Meanwhile, Lincolnshire County Council has agreed to extend their open days at the Household Recycling Centre on Bittern Way for the disposal of black-bagged general waste and recycling only.
The two extra days of opening are Wednesday and Thursday of this week and next, between the hours of 8am and 4pm.
Over 6,000 people living in and around the Scunthorpe have signed up to donate convalescent plasma after having coronavirus.
This comes as NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is appealing for more potential plasma donors ahead of an upcoming third trial.
Convalescent plasma is the antibody-rich plasma of people who’ve had coronavirus. This can be transfused into people who are struggling to develop their own immune response.
NHSBT wants more people in the area hitting the 28-day recovery mark to sign up.
Over 30 donations have so far been taken at the Scunthorpe donor centre at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road, which opened in December last year.
People can register to donate online here and can donate 28 days after they’ve recovered from coronavirus.
The Lincolnshire centre is located at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road in Scunthorpe. | Photo: NHSBT
NHSBT is collecting the plasma for new trials for older people or those with cancer to treat them early in the course of the infection.
Two earlier trials have now stopped for data analysis. The upcoming third trial’s focus will be on those with low immune systems and all donations are tested for COVID antibodies.
The NHS trials of convalescent plasma are the largest randomised controlled trials for this treatment of COVID-19.
Professor Dave Roberts, Associate Medical Director for Blood Donation at NHSBT, said: “More people than ever are now able to help – the time to donate is now.
“We especially need donations from people in Scunthorpe who’ve had hospital care. Men who had hospital care are around six times more likely to have the high antibody levels which might save lives.
“We have completed two trials and analysis is ongoing. We now need to collect plasma for further planned clinical studies. We’re particularly looking at high risk groups such as the elderly and people with cancer.
“Donations are vital to the ongoing lifesaving research, which gives us a better understanding of how we can best treat patients with COVID-19 and help prevent deaths in the future.”
Whatsapp
