A man who killed his neighbour in a dispute believed to be over a broken screen door has denied he was responsible for causing the damage, despite having admitted to murder.
Scott Jamie Cole, 41, pleaded guilty in February to murdering his neighbour Jason Hollingshed at the Stuart Flats public housing block in Canberra's south last year.
But the ACT Supreme Court heard today he disputes pulling Mr Hollingshed's screen door from its hinges shortly before the murder.
A witness told police on the day Cole killed his neighbour that he disappeared for 10 minutes and she heard a screen door rattling.
Soon after Cole returned, Mr Hollingshed was heard shouting about the broken door.
The witness told police Cole had "beef" with his neighbour and "hated his guts", but she did not know why.
"I don't know why he chose today to get aggressive towards him," she told police at the time.
The court heard Cole wanted to see Mr Hollingshed, but he was not home at the time.
When he returned, he allegedly told the witness he had "ripped his screen door off".
The woman said she heard the pair arguing and then heard Mr Hollingshed groaning.
"I assume he was stabbing him," she said.
Cole will be sentenced later this year.
