A PENSIONER told his niece he was visited by a "young lad who wanted to borrow money" in the days before he was strangled to death in his own home, a court heard.

The body of Donald Ralph, 83, was discovered by his niece Tina Ralph on December 29 last year at his home in Aldham.

Ipswich Crown Court heard he had been beaten and strangled by burglars bent on stealing money or items to sell on for quick cash.

Prosecutors allege Leighton Snook, 28, and a teenage accomplace, 16, who cannot be named for legal reasons, murdered Mr Ralph before stealing two guns and his Volvo to make good their escape.

Read more: Pensioner was beaten and strangled to death during burglary, court told

Opening a trial before a jury of 12, Simon Spence QC said Mr Ralph's niece had heard her uncle talk of a visit from a young man who wanted to borrow money. 

Mr Spence said: "The prosecution say that 'young man' is Leighton Snook, who was related by step-marriage to Donald Ralph."

When Tina Ralph arrived to check on her uncle on December 29, she found his house unsecure.

Mr Spence said: "She found her uncle lying on the floor in the living room with blood all over his face.

"She went to use his landline to call 999, but discovered it had been ripped out of the wall."

The prosecution say Snook and the teenager travelled from Colchester to the area around Eight Ash Green by taxi, before walking the remaining distance to Mr Ralph's home.

Mr Spence said: “During the course of their time at that address, the elderly Mr Ralph was beaten until he bled and he was then strangled to death.

“His landline telephone was ripped out of its socket in the wall to prevent any calls being made.”

Mr Spence said one shotgun and one rifle was taken, before the pair “made their escape” in Mr Ralph’s Volvo.

The court heard the pair spent the night at a friend’s home in Colchester, before travelling together in the Volvo to Hastings the following day.

The teenager was arrested on December 29 after he travelled back to Colchester.

Snook was arrested in Colchester on January 1 this year, giving a short prepared statement to the police before answering “no comment” to all questions asked.

Mr Spence said: “The two defendants, the prosecution say, were clearly known to each other and during the course of December at least were in regular contact by mobile phone.”

The court heard DNA matching Snook's profile to a high degree of probability was found on Mr Ralph's clothes and in his car.

Snook, of no fixed address, denies murder, burglary and theft of a motor vehicle.

His teenage co-defendant, from Leicester, denies murder and theft of a motor vehicle, but has admitted one charge of burglary.

The trial continues.