A German man accused of killing his 100-year-old grandmother with an ax faced trial in Hamburg on Thursday.

The 37-year-old man was charged with homicide after the incident that happened on March 6. His identity has not been disclosed per German privacy norms but he was identified as an Estonian-born German citizen.

According to the indictment, the man was a carer for his grandmother but found this task too demanding.

"He could not cope with looking after her," the prosecuting lawyer told the court on Thursday.

Accused turned himself in

The woman, who suffered from dementia and used a wheelchair, received at least 16 blows to her head and neck as she attempted to defend herself from her grandson.

She fell to the ground and fractured her shoulder before dying of spinal injuries, the prosecution said.

The accused, who has no prior criminal record, called the emergency services himself to say that he had killed his grandmother, who was dead by the time police arrived.

He then gave himself up without resistance.

The defense attorney said the man will make a statement on Monday about his mental state at the time of the incident. This will then be considered by the judges.

zc/msh (dpa, AFP)