A Polish man has denied killing his girlfriend at an apartment they shared in north inner-city Dublin last year.

The Central Criminal Court has heard how he told gardai she died after being jumped by a gang of men that he managed to fight off.

In May 2012 Waldamar Solowiow was renting an apartment in Sherrard Street. The court heard how his girlfriend Mary Ryan moved in with him five months beforehand.

According to their housemates, they drank heavily and constantly argued.

On May 18th 2012, one of their rows led to the Polish native being evicted and it is the case of the prosecution that he was so angry with the prospect of being homeless that he began hitting his girlfriend.

She was found unconscious at the foot of the stairs the following morning and pronounced dead a short time later.

Solowiow was arrested and during questioning, he told gardai that she was attacked by three men after going out for a walk the night before.

He said he was following her when it happened and fought the gang off before bringing her home where she refused to see a doctor.

The trial is expected to take just over a week.