In January 2008 a Romanian immigrant arrived at his Marbella home early one morning and had an argument with his flatmate, the argument started in the living room of the flat but moved into the kitchen where it quickly escalated into a violent attack.

The accused allegedly plunged a kitchen knife into the flatmate’s chest, according to the prosecution, with the intent on “taking his life”.

The victim suffered a punctured lung and a severed aorta which killed him.

A request has been made for a 14 year prison sentence from the prosecution for murder and the sum of 200,000 euros to be paid as compensation to the victim’s family.

The trial is due to start in May 2010