Killer returned to steal victim's labradoodle, trial hears

A man strangled a dog owner and later returned to the home of his decomposing victim and took his labradoodle, a court has heard.

Donald Patience's body was discovered under a duvet cover at the bottom of his stairs by police who responded to reports of a burglary at his house in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester.

Ian Connell, 39, of Bolton, is on trial at Manchester Crown Court.

He denies murdering the 45-year-old and an alternative count of manslaughter.

Opening the prosecution case, Michael Hayton KC told jurors Mr Patience was strangled to death with the "most likely explanation that it followed an argument of some sort about money".

He said Mr Patience was an "educated man" who had roots in Scotland and "access to money".

"He previously worked, had businesses, and had family money from property," he said.

"Because of his access to money there were people who wished to prey upon his good nature, borrow money from him - maybe some of those loans would be paid with interest - but the Crown say his financial position is of significance.

"The Crown say it is the reason, in all probability, he was found deceased and decomposing at the foot of his own stairs by a police officer following a report of a burglary."

The barrister continued: "Mr Patience's access to money and also perhaps his good nature led to others taking advantage of him, abusing his generosity and using his access to funds."

He said "money was central" to many of the communications between Mr Connell and Mr Patience before his death.

The court heard a postman called 999 on 22 August last year when he saw a male figure climbing through a rear window of the property in Ainsworth Road and heard a noise like someone trying to force entry.

The same male later emerged from the back garden with a "medium-sized, fluffy" white dog on a lead, the court heard.

The Crown said it was Mr Connell who had entered the address and that some time from 19 August onwards he had murdered Mr Patience.

Mr Connell was detained on suspicion of burglary when one of the responding police officers recognised the labradoodle from a previous interaction with Mr Patience, the court heard.

He was also found to be in possession of a wallet containing Mr Patience's driving licence and library card, it is claimed.

Mr Hayton said Mr Connell began to "tell the first of many lies" at the scene and then during interview following his arrest on suspicion of murder.

He said: "When asked why he was walking the labradoodle he stated Mr Patience had phoned him and asked to walk it.

"We say that is a lie, because Mr Patience had been dead for some time.

"He said Mr Patience was in Scotland, another lie. Mr Connell knew he was dead at the bottom of the stairs.

"The Crown say simply that by August 22 he was certainly dead and he became deceased at some point from August 19 onwards."

Mr Hayton said Mr Connell initially told detectives the property in Ainsworth Road was his home address and he had lived there for 12 months.

He also said Mr Patience was alive when he left the house on 21 August, jurors were told, but then gave an account in which he said he woke up at the address and found Mr Patience deceased before he tried to move him upstairs.

Mr Hayton went on: "He said he couldn't have killed him because he loved him like a dad or a brother.

"He said he lied early in the interview process because of fear. The Crown say the only fear was the fear of being held responsible for what he had done.

"A man he left despite the affection he purported to feel for him, a man left decomposing on the floor while he callously went about his day-to-day life."

The trial continues.

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