Two men from Nelson tried to cover their tracks after “brutally” murdering another man inside the home they shared in Nelson. 

Police were called by the North West Ambulance Service at around 5.20am on November 5, 2023, to a report Andrej Minin had been found dead at the bottom of the stairs of a property in Fir Street, Nelson.

A Home Office post-mortem examination found Mr Minin died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and neck.

Lancashire Telegraph: Andrej MininAndrej Minin (Image: Police)

Police enquiries revealed Mr Minin had been severely beaten, kicked, stamped on and then dragged to the bottom of the stairs in an attempt to cover up his murder.

The distribution of blood belonging to the victim found on the trousers of Laimonas Prascevicius and Rimantas Vystartas showed they were responsible for the fatal assault.

Prascevicius and Vystartas denied any responsibility or involvement in Andrej’s death, however a jury saw through their lies.

Following a three-week trial at Preston Crown Court, Prascevicius and Vystartas were today (May 2) found guilty of murdering Mr Minin.

Prascevicius, 54, of Ball Street, Nelson, and Vystartas, 54, of Rigby Street, Nelson, were both sentenced to life imprisonment.

The judge, Mr Justice Lavender, ordered both men to serve a minimum tariff of 19 years before they will be considered for release, meaning they will both be into their 70s before they stand any prospect of leaving prison. 

DCI Tracey McMurdo, of Lancashire Police's force major investigation team, said: “This was a brutal and cowardly attack committed against a vulnerable man in his own home.

“Rather than seek help for a man they once called a friend, Prascevicius and Vystartas instead sought to cover their tracks by moving his body.

“I want to thank the jury for their considered verdicts and hope these verdicts give Andrej’s loved ones some sense of closure.”