An Eastern European thug kicked and stamped a squatter to death as he slept on a floor, a court heard.

Paulius Korsakas, 27, attacked 37-year-old Russian Igor Vinogradov in a drunken fury following a row which left him feeling “humiliated or slighted”, the Old Bailey was told.

Within an hour he texted his girlfriend, saying: “I broke one guy really badly,” and was later found to have the victim’s blood on his shoe, jurors heard.

Just hours earlier police had arrested Korsakas and three other Eastern Europeans, including the victim, as they ‘cased’ a house they wanted to use as a squat.

Murderous assault

The men were then released without charge.

Mr Vinogradov was found dead at the address in Capel Road, Forest Gate, on January 31 this year, 11 days after the killing.

Adrian Darbishire, prosecuting, told jurors: “On January 20 last year, the victim of the murder was lying asleep on the floor of a house where he was staying for that night with two other men.

“The defendant came into the room, approached the victim and began a murderous assault on him, during which the defendant punched, kicked, stamped upon and struck the man.

“That attack resulted in many different injuries.

“Most importantly it resulted in bleeding into the throat and mouth, resulting in him inhaling his own blood and choking.

“It seems the victim would have died quite quickly after or during that attack.”

Mr Darbishire said it was “no more than drunken temper and loss of self control...resulting from some sense that he had earlier been humiliated or sleighted”.

The prosecutor said the four men had got to know each other at a rehabilitation centre in Bethnal Green but there was an “issue about housing”.

Drinking heavily

On January 20 they were all in a car looking for somewhere to stay and “all four had been drinking heavily”.

“They got to the house in Capel Road and set about trying to get in. Neighbours heard and police were called at about four o’clock in the morning. Police arrived to find this group of four men.

“They were arrested and put into a police van. They were considering what to do with them. “They made the decision to drive them away from the area and release them. That’s what happened.”

Homeless Korsakas, denies murder. The trial continues..