A Lithuanian car cleaner flew into a “drunken rage” and murdered a man he was sleeping rough with in a Woolwich shed, a court heard yesterday (June 21).

Tadeus Sareiko, 45, had been living “hand to mouth” in the UK for about seven months when he was arrested for the murder of Sergei Popov, who he had nicknamed ‘Millionaire’, a jury at Woolwich Crown Court heard.

The court heard Mr Popov’s body was discovered on Tuesday, December 29 last year, when Sareiko led police community support officers to a 10x8ft storage area in a block of flats in Jessup Close where he was staying.

PCSO Brian West told the court he had encountered the defendant leaning drunkenly against a wall and urinating.

He said: “He was unsteady on his feet so we decided to take him back to the shed nearby so he could sober up.

“I looked to the left and saw two bare feet sticking out from under the red duvet.

“[Sareiko] threw the quilt back and there was a man, bare chested with severe injuries to his face.

“His eyes were bruised black and swollen.

“He had blood from the mouth, to the side of mouth, and coming out of his ear, which had drained down onto his neck.

“I gave him a shake and took his pulse.”

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The pathology report on Ukrainian Mr Popov showed blunt force trauma to the head and chest and multiple fractures to the ribs and skull, the court heard.

Tony Badenoch QC, prosecuting, told the court: “The pattern of injuries was consistent with using a clenched fist or a foot – or both.

“He had been stabbed, kicked and punched to death as he lay on the floor.

A blood sample taken later that day showed a reading of 269/100 – over three times the drink-driving limit, Mr Badenoch told the court.

He said: “The attack bears all the hallmarks of a drunken rage.

“This wasn’t an attack where there was any moderation, let alone mercy.”

After Sareiko was arrested at the scene, he told police he had been drinking for a week following his birthday, the court heard.

Mr Badenoch said: “He said he had sustained injuries to his hand in a fight with black people in Woolwich.

“He knew the deceased in this case by the nickname ‘Millionaire’ and said he had a reputation for fraudulent activities.

“He said he came back to the shed on Monday night and when he last saw ‘Millionaire’ he had a black eye but no other injuries.”

Sareiko, who doesn’t speak English, said he tried to call 999 three times when he woke up on Tuesday morning and realised his friend was dead, the court heard.

Mr Badenoch told the court when Mr Sareiko was eventually told about the extent of the injuries, he admitted pushing him and said he could have had a fight with him.

Mr Badenoch said: “He didn’t want to remember what happened and he said that he lost control and had no intention of killing anybody.”

Sareiko denies the charge of murder.

The trial continues.