AN IT worker strangled his mum and bludgeoned to death her partner with a hammer before driving round the UK, a court heard. Andrei-Mihai Simion-Munteanu, 22, is accused of murdering Dr Premm Monti, 51, and Robert Tully, 71, whose bodies were found at the family home in Branston, Linconlshire. Simion-Munteanu is said to have then […]
AN IT worker strangled his mum and bludgeoned to death her partner with a hammer before driving round the UK, a court heard.
Andrei-Mihai Simion-Munteanu, 22, is accused of murdering Dr Premm Monti, 51, and Robert Tully, 71, whose bodies were found at the family home in Branston, Linconlshire.
Simion-Munteanu is said to have then driven Mr Tully’s car to Salisbury, Wiltshire, Stonehenge and Tintagel Castle in Cornwall.
He later went to Wales and Scotland, where he was found by police, Lincoln Crown Court heard.
Simion-Munteanu, of Branston, admits killing the couple, but denies two counts of murder.
Ex-NHS governor Dr Monti was reported missing after failing to arrive at work at a psychiatric hospital in Dudley, West Midlands.
Cops traced the Toyota Rav4 to Aberdeen airport using automatic number plate recognition cameras, where Simion-Munteanu was discovered lying down inside the court heard.
Michael Auty, prosecuting, said: “He was asked if he knew where his mother was. He replied that they should probably talk about this at a police station.
“The defendant said if he told them where his mother was they would arrest him. PC Simon Madden asked why.
“The defendant then immediately volunteered that he had killed his mother.”
The defendant then immediately volunteered that he had killed his mother
Michael Auty, prosecuting
Police discovered the two bodies three days after first visiting the doctor’s Lincolnshire bungalow.
Simion-Munteanu confessed to luring his mum into his bedroom and placing an oven glove over her mouth before strangling her on the night of July 28, the court heard.
The following morning he attacked Mr Tully, hitting him over the head repeatedly with a hammer after he came downstairs to look for his partner.
The jury heard told Simion-Munteanu had failed his final exams at the University of Lincoln where he was studying computer studies.
He had also been suffering with depression and had spent time in a psychiatric hospital.
His defence team says he is guilty of manslaughter through diminished responsibility, but not murder.
The trial continues.
