A Bolshoi Ballet dancer accused over an attack on artistic director Sergei Filin has told a court he did not mean for him to be splashed with acid....

Soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko is accused of masterminding the attack. He appeared in court with two other men accused of helping carry it out.

Police say all three have confessed.

Mr Filin's eyesight was badly damaged when a masked attacker threw sulphuric acid in his face outside his Moscow home in January.

After a series of operations on his eyes, the 42-year-old has been moved to Germany, where doctors have expressed hope that further treatment may be able to restore good vision.

The attack opened a window into bitter infighting and rivalries inside the Bolshoi theatre, correspondents say.

Mr Dmitrichenko was detained on Tuesday.

On Thursday he told the Moscow court that he had complained about Mr Filin to an acquaintance who offered to "beat him up", the Associated Press news agency reports. stay for more