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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Robert Cerqua guilty of murdering twin Christopher | Robert Cerqua guilty of murdering twin Christopher |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man has been found guilty of murdering his identical twin in a drunken argument on New Year's Eve. | A man has been found guilty of murdering his identical twin in a drunken argument on New Year's Eve. |
| Robert Cerqua, 31, stabbed Christopher once in the stomach at the family home while their parents were upstairs. | Robert Cerqua, 31, stabbed Christopher once in the stomach at the family home while their parents were upstairs. |
| He fled the house in Hythe, Hampshire, without his shoes and carried on drinking with his girlfriend to see in the new year at a party. | He fled the house in Hythe, Hampshire, without his shoes and carried on drinking with his girlfriend to see in the new year at a party. |
| Cerqua denied murder at Winchester Crown Court and claimed he had acted in self-defence. | Cerqua denied murder at Winchester Crown Court and claimed he had acted in self-defence. |
| 'He's stabbed him' | 'He's stabbed him' |
| The jury returned a majority 10 to 2 guilty verdict. He will be sentenced on Tuesday. | |
| During the trial, Robert claimed his brother had been threatening him with a knife, but the prosecution said the stabbing had happened in a fit of temper after alcohol had been consumed. | During the trial, Robert claimed his brother had been threatening him with a knife, but the prosecution said the stabbing had happened in a fit of temper after alcohol had been consumed. |
| Nicholas Haggan QC, prosecuting, said: "That argument appears to have turned into a tussle, punches may have been exchanged, at some point this defendant picked up a kitchen knife and he used it to stab his brother Christopher." | Nicholas Haggan QC, prosecuting, said: "That argument appears to have turned into a tussle, punches may have been exchanged, at some point this defendant picked up a kitchen knife and he used it to stab his brother Christopher." |
| He explained that DNA found on the knife matched both the defendant and his brother because, as identical twins, they shared the same DNA profile. | He explained that DNA found on the knife matched both the defendant and his brother because, as identical twins, they shared the same DNA profile. |
| Robert later told police that he had a "fiery relationship" with his brother and drink could make him "nasty" and "short-tempered". | Robert later told police that he had a "fiery relationship" with his brother and drink could make him "nasty" and "short-tempered". |
| The jury was also played a recording of the 999 call made by Denise Cerqua, the twins' mother, who was in the house at the time. | The jury was also played a recording of the 999 call made by Denise Cerqua, the twins' mother, who was in the house at the time. |
| At first she asked for the police because her sons were fighting but then said: "Can you get an ambulance as well? He's been stabbed." | At first she asked for the police because her sons were fighting but then said: "Can you get an ambulance as well? He's been stabbed." |
| During the call, her husband Peter can be heard shouting: "He's stabbed him." | During the call, her husband Peter can be heard shouting: "He's stabbed him." |
| Robert fled the house after the stabbing to celebrate the new year and continued drinking. | Robert fled the house after the stabbing to celebrate the new year and continued drinking. |
| He turned off his mobile phone but was traced by police and arrested in the early hours of New Year's Day. | He turned off his mobile phone but was traced by police and arrested in the early hours of New Year's Day. |