Murder-accused admits drug use before Kiwi's fall

Andy Marshall was fatally hurt when he was thrown through the window of a West Australian bar. Photo / NZ Herald

The Perth man who pushed a New Zealand man through a second-storey window, causing him to fall to his death, has taken to the witness stand at his own murder trial, admitting he had taken ecstasy and marijuana in the hours before the incident.

Stefan Pahia Schmidt, 25, has not denied pushing Andy Marshall, the 29-year-old cousin of slain Feilding farmer Scott Guy, through the hotel window but said it was accidental.

He has pleaded not guilty to murder.

His trial at the West Australian Supreme Court began last week, and yesterday the court heard from Schmidt himself.

On the day of the fatal incident, Schmidt had begun drinking alcohol at 10.30am, and took two ecstasy tablets and smoked several marijuana joints throughout the day, the West Australian reported.

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At some stage in the night he and one of his friends had a fight about a woman.

Trying to resolve the situation he decided to ask the woman to leave.

But when he went to speak with her, Schmidt noticed she was talking to Mr Marshall.

He told the court that he went to Mr Marshall and told him to "f*** off", to which Mr Marshall replied something that Schmidt could not recall.

"I felt annoyed that he had responded to me like that," Schmidt said.

"I pushed him with my left hand to the front region of his chest/shoulder.

"It was not overly dramatic, but I could not say for sure how hard I pushed him."

He was in disbelief and could not comprehend what happened when Mr Marshall fell through the window, and did not intend for Mr Marshall to die, nor to hurt him, he said.

He left the hotel and saw Mr Marshall lying on the ground, but his instinct told him to home to go home and gather his thoughts.

He said he still could not comprehend what had happened.

The trial is due to finish this week.