Indian Student's Killer Attacks Fellow Inmate

A killer who shot dead an Indian student threw a mop bucket of hot water over another prison inmate, a jury has heard.

CCTV footage captured the attack by Kiaran Stapleton at HMP Manchester, where he is remanded in custody for the alleged murder of Anuj Bidve.

Stapleton threw the bucket over the head of prisoner Michael Sharp, with sugar melted into the liquid so it would stick to his victim's skin.

He then continued the assault on the Category A prison wing using billiard balls in a sock along with two friends from Salford armed with pool cues, Manchester Crown Court heard.

The 21-year-old later told a forensic clinical psychologist in an interview that he had intended to kill Sharp.

Prosecution expert Dr Adrian West said the defendant gave his account of the incident which took place earlier this year.

He said Stapleton explained that Sharp was "the one who stands out from the rest of them".

"He said he was loud, abusive, threatening and bullying people," said Dr West.

Stapleton said he came out of the shower and had seen Sharp sitting down playing chess and then "I just went and done what I done".

The defendant explained there was less than a minute between deciding what he was going to do and actually carrying it out.

"He said he knew the hot water would scald Michael Sharp and he also said that his intention was to kill him with snooker balls," said Dr West.

The CCTV footage saw Stapleton fill the bucket of hot water on a landing, walk to the two people playing on the pool table and then return to the bucket which he threw.

Dr West explained to the jury: "I saw his behaviour as purposeful and instrumental - that is a pre-determined goal of causing deliberate harm."

Stapleton admits shooting dead random stranger Mr Bidve, 23, in the early hours of Boxing Day last year in Ordsall, Salford.

He walked over to Mr Bidve and his group of friends, asked the time, then shot Mr Bidve dead with a gun at close range.

The postgraduate student was on his way with friends to queue for sales in Manchester when he was killed.

Two days after the shooting, Stapleton had a teardrop tattoo painted on his face. The tattooist told him it could signify that he had killed someone.

Stapleton has admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but denies murder.