A killer is battling in the High Court to inherit his victim's £250,000 estate.

Dominic Dalton, serving six years for the manslaughter of his gay lover Bernard Murphy, was challenged by a lawyer for the dead man's family but he denied suggestions he cut Mr Murphy off from them and took advantage of him.

The family's counsel, Helen Galley, said: "I put it to you that you kept his family away from him, you bullied him and were aggressive towards him and you took and spent a great deal of his money."

Dalton replied: "No way."

He told Mr Justice Patten that he had loved Mr Murphy and had looked after him for many years when he was suffering from senile dementia.

Retired celebrity hairdresser Mr Murphy, 79, had insisted he did not want to go into residential care.

"He would have suffered even more in a home," said Dalton.

Mrs Galley: "Are you seriously suggesting that what you did was a mercy killing?"

Dalton: "It was certainly not out of anger or spite."

Dalton, 44, strangled Mr Murphy with his dressing gown cord after an argument at the house they shared in Crown Street, Kemp Town, Brighton, in December 2000.

He denied murder but in July 2001 was convicted by a jury at Lewes Crown Court of manslaughter through diminished responsibility, which he admitted.

Dalton said he was suffering from depression when he "snapped" in a state of frustration.

He is asking the judge to rule that he should be exempted from the legal principle which bars people from profiting from their crimes.

In a 1996 will Mr Murphy, whose clients included stars such as Maureen O'Hara, Paulette Goddard and Una Stubbs, named Dalton as the main beneficiary.

Mr Murphy's surviving nephews and nieces - four of whom are named in the proceedings as Alan Milner, Deirdre McDermot, Geoffrey Kelly and Jill Rafferty - contest Dalton's claim that he was their uncle's devoted carer during his illness.

Mrs Galley, referring to expensive foreign holidays taken by the two men, told Dalton: "You were taking advantage of him and having the time of your life."

Dalton, who was also a hairdresser, replied: "We were both having a good time. If you were looking after a senile dementia sufferer, you would know it's bloody hard work.

"You need another holiday to get over the first one."

He denied stopping Mr Murphy speaking to members of his family on the telephone or sending them Christmas cards.

Mrs Galley: "They were very close to their uncle Bernie, weren't they?"

Dalton: "They only saw him three times in ten years. Oh yes, they were very fond of him."

The trial continues today.