A man accused of murdering a young deaf man today denied he intended to rob and murder the victim but admitted assaulting him and searching his pocket.

A murder accused brought gardaí to a country lay-by where they discovered items taken from the body of a young deaf man who was beaten to death, the Central Criminal Court heard today.

A murder accused told gardai he "went along" with a plan to rob a young deaf man who was beaten to death in a lonely boreen near a Tipperary village in December 1998.