A MERSEYSIDE man has told how he pretended he had murdered his sister’s partner to protect her from the real killers.

Daniel Breaks is alleged to have beaten his sister Gwyneth’s boyfriend Simon Sutton to death with a pool cue, while ordering her sons to stamp on his body. But yesterday the 48-year-old, who has previously served a 14-year-stretch for armed robbery and death by dangerous driving, claimed he was just covering for the actual killers.

Shaven-headed Breaks said two men, whom he would only name as Mr X and Mr Y for fear of reprisals, had beaten Mr Sutton to death over allegations he had told police about their criminal activity.

Before the murder, Breaks admitted assaulting both Mr Sutton and his sister as “punishment” in the hope it would stop the two men attacking them for “grassing”. But days later, on April 10, the two anonymous men are alleged to have turned up at the couple’s flat in Argyle Street, Birkenhead.

Breaks said: “They then basically beat him to death.

“They said they would collect his body from an alleyway on Thursday night.” Over the next few hours, Breaks said he decided to take responsibility for the murder to protect his sister from the duo.

Breaks, of Hallville Road, Mossley Hill, denies murder, blackmail and two counts of kidnapping.