Man denies murder after 'bit of an argument over £80' as his 'frail' uncle found fatally injured

A man on trial for the murder of his uncle has denied the charge, insisting to jurors "I loved him". Liam Elms, 41, is accused of a brutal assault on Paul Lavery, allegedly dragging him out of his flat by his legs "like rubbish" and leaving him dying in the street.

The incident occurred inside Mr Lavery's Eaton Road flat in West Derby, Merseyside, where he was purportedly handled "throwing (him) around like a rag doll" and dragged down stairs, resulting in his head striking the steps repeatedly.

The "frail" and "vulnerable" 58-year-old, who weighed a mere 8st, was discovered outside the building, curled up, by police in the early hours of January 24. He succumbed to a brain haemorrhage in hospital a week after the attack.

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Elms, who also served as his uncle's carer, is facing trial at Liverpool Crown Court. During his testimony on Thursday, he claimed that his uncle, an alcoholic, had sustained accidental injuries during a dispute with his drinking partner, Deborah McKay.

While being cross-examined by his defence attorney Michael Brady KC, Elms recounted how he returned to his uncle's residence around 11.30pm on January 23 following an evening out with his girlfriend. Upon arrival, he noticed the disappearance of approximately £80 from a paper bag and the presence of unopened vodka bottles in the flat, reports the Liverpool Echo.

This led to 'a bit of an argument' between the three parties, with 'Paul blaming Deborah and Deborah blaming Paul', Elms recounted. He described how his uncle got up to use the bathroom and accidentally hit his head on the living room radiator when sitting back down.

Elms tried to persuade Mr