Lovers accused of beating to death an Irishman, stripping him naked and dumping his body in a skip have blamed each other for the killing.

Fiona Nalty, 24, and Arry Green, 21, each turned on the other at the Old Bailey, where they are on trial accused of murdering 37-year-old Michael Hunt, known as "Irish Mick", in an alley in South Norwood on March 14.

Mr Hunt, of Holmesdale Road, was found with multiple injuries, including a severe brain injury likened by a pathologist to those suffered by boxers, in a skip off Station Road.

He died later in hospital.

Miss Nalty, of Fairdene Road, Coulsdon, today told the court she had merely pushed away Mr Hunt because he was trying to chat her up but that Mr Green, of Whitehorse Road, South Norwood, then launched a vicious assault.

But Jane Bickerstaff, Mr Green's barrister, described him as "like a pathetic, drunk sidekick, staggering about not realising the extent of the attack", for which he claims Miss Nalty was chiefly responsible.

Prosecutor David Jeremy alleges both "part-time lovers", who were seeing each other behind the back of Mr Green's girlfriend, stamped on and kicked Mr Hunt before removing his clothes as "an act of humiliation" and leaving him for dead.

However, Miss Nalty, under cross-examination this afternoon, claimed witnesses who described her kicking the victim on the floor had instead seen her prodding him with her foot to make him move.

She said: "I was telling him to get up out of the road. I was just telling him to get up. [Arry Green] helped him up and then punched him."

She told the court Mr Green had then taken Mr Hunt to the alleyway and stripped him while beating him, claiming he stole the victim's wallet, mobile phone, keys and tobacco.

She added: "How could I have stopped him? I told him he had gone too far."

Asked why 15-year-old boy told the court he had seen Miss Nalty kicking Mr Hunt, she said: "He was Arry's close friend. He's going to stick up for him.

But Ms Bickerstaff said: "You have given this court some stories, lies, to make Mr Green's name as black as they come."

She added: "I'm sure he will forgive me for saying this, but Mr Green is not the most intelligent person. His learning, his ability to converse. You were in control.

"You started this and in the alleyway you murdered Mr Hunt, pure and simple. You kicked and stamped on him.

"You never thought that [Mr Green] would tell the truth."

Mr Jeremy told Miss Nalty there were "three possibilities."

He said: "Either Arry Green is lying. Or you are lying. Or you are both lying."

Both Miss Nalty and Mr Green deny murder.

The jury will retire to consider its verdict next week.

The trial continues.