THE jury in the trial of a 25-year-old man accused of murdering his brother-in-law has been told of his "devious actions" after the man's death.

Clement Goldstone QC, prosecuting, said Mohammed Meherban, of Higher Antley Street, Accrington, had acted deviously and lied after beating Mohammed Azam to death with a pick axe handle.

Making his closing speech in the trial at Liverpool Crown Court, Mr Goldstone said it was a case of murder and not manslaughter.

And he described Meherban's claims of having no recollection of inflicting the blows to his brother-in-law as "a convenient lapse of memory".

Meherban has admitted unlawfully killing Mr Azam but denies murder.

The defendant told the court that he lost control and killed Mr Azam after he said he had been sleeping with his wife and sister-in-law, Azrha. The court heard that Mr Azam, a 36-year-old father-of-three, suffered at least 10 blows to his head, while others struck his arms and hands and more blows missed and struck the walls. Mr Goldstone said Mr Azam had gone round to Meherban's home shortly before midnight on July 4 last year because his sister-in-law Azrha had asked him to see if Meherban could bring about a reconciliation between her and her husband, Meherban's brother Rafiq.

At the time the sister's father was dying in hospital and Mr Goldstone suggested that Mr Azam would not have chosen such a time to suddenly and unexpectedly cause a family scandal by revealing to Meherban that he had been sleeping with Azrha and Meherban's wife.

Meherban said Mr Azam's first words were "divorce your wife" but there was no hurry for the revelation of the affairs and no suggestion that he intended to then marry his wife. He claimed Meherban had lied elaborately and had deliberately cut himself with a knife so he could claim he had acted in self-defence and had also created a mess in the kitchen to make it look as if there had been a fight.

"That was the action of a devious man, not someone who had led a sheltered life either in this country or elsewhere," said Mr Goldstone.

The case was adjourned until Wednesday.

(Proceeding)