A murder accused told police the man he allegedly killed attacked him with a knife, a court has heard.
Bohdan Cieslar, 59, said Aleksander Smerdel was aggressive towards him a short time before he lost his life on December 27 2018.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how PC Grant Glennie noted remarks made by the Polish national at a police station in Aberdeen.
Cieslar had earlier been detained in connection with Mr Smerdel’s death at a house in Aberdeen’s Donside Court.
PC Glennie told prosecutor Derick Nelson that when Cieslar was describing what happened in the moments leading up to Mr Smerdel’s death, he said: “When I at house my friend aggressive towards me. He attack me. He attack me with a knife.
“This is a problem.”
PC Glennie was giving evidence on the third day of the case against Cieslar, of Aberdeen, who denies murdering Mr Smerdel at 58 Donside Court in Aberdeen on December 27 2018.
Cieslar is being assisted by an interpreter who is sitting in the dock beside him.
He denies the charge and has lodged a special defence of self-defence.
PC Glennie told the court that Mr Cieslar made the remark after the alleged attack on Mr Smerdel, who lived at the house on Donside Crescent with the accused.
The police officer said Cieslar made the remark in a cell at the police station.
He added: “We noted it just after he said that.”
Forensic pathologist Leighanne Deboys, 33, told the court she carried out a post-mortem examination on Mr Smerdel’s body.
Dr Deboys, a senior lecturer in forensic medicine at Aberdeen University, said she found a stab wound measuring seven centimetres.
Prosecutors claim that on December 27 2018 Cieslar assaulted Mr Smerdel and repeatedly struck him on his body with a knife to his severe injury and that he murdered him.
Cieslar has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
He has lodged a special defence which states that “on the occasion libelled he acted in self defence having been attacked by the deceased”.
The trial, before judge Lord Pentland, continues today.
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