November 4, 2022 2.26 pm This story is over 31 months old

Saxilby murder defendant chooses not to give evidence at trial

The trial continues

Saulius Badgziunas was found fatally injured. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A man who denies carrying out a fatal stabbing in a village near Saxilby today (Friday) chose not to give evidence at his murder trial.

Rolandas Karbauskas, 48, is on trial at Lincoln Crown Court and denies the murder of Saulius Badgziunas, 58.

Mr Badgziunas was discovered fatally injured at a property in School Lane, Broadholme, on Monday, March 14.

John Lloyd-Jones KC this morning concluded the prosecution case against Karbauskas.

Defence barrister Gordon Aspden KC told the jury: “On behalf of Rolandas Karbauskas we call no evidence.”

The trial judge, Judge Simon Hirst, then asked Mr Aspden if it had been explained to Mr Karbauskas that the stage in the trial had been reached where he could give evidence from the witness box.

Mr Aspden replied: “Yes, that has been explained in both English and Lithuanian.”

Judge Hirst then began his summing up of the case by giving the jury directions on the law.

The Judge told them: “The prosecution say Rolandas Karbauskas on the morning of March 14, 2022 stabbed Saulius Badgziunas in the left side of the back with a knife which tract 20cms through the back muscles, into the left chest cavity, before ending up at the sternum.”

Judge Hirst said the defence accepted someone had caused at least really serious injury to Mr Badgziunas, but Mr Karbauskas told police it wasn’t him and he did not know who had murdered Mr Badgziunas.

The jury heard Karbauskas has no previous criminal convictions or police cautions in either the United Kingdom or Lithuania.

Forensic tests were carried out on the clothes Mr Karbauskas was wearing when he was arrested and other items in the caravan where he was living in Broadholme, but no blood stains were found.

Judge Hirst told the jury: “The only question you might ask yourselves is are we sure Rolandas Karbauskas killed Saulius Badgziunas?

“If you are not sure, your verdict will be not guilty.

“If you are sure, your verdict will be guilty.”

Karbauskas, who is listening to the trial via a Lithuanian interpreter, denies murder.

The trial continues on Monday when the jury will retire to consider their verdict.