Pair accused of killing OAP (81) "took cocaine and drank spirits" before alleged attack

One also threatened to get in a passing taxi and pull the driver’s “f****** black head off” just minutes earlier, prosecutors say.

The trial of Dale Jones and Damien Hunt (both 30) started this morning at Sheffield Crown Court.

Both men deny attacking and seriously injuring Mr Ahmed early on August 10 last year, leading to his death in hospital 11 days later.

Each says the other carried out the fatal assault in which Mr Ahmed - a father of four from East Dene - was kicked, punched and stamped on.

Police matched a distinctive tread pattern on Mr Ahmed’s face to the sole of trainers Jones was wearing on the night, the jury was told.

Opening the prosecution case, Mr Andrew Robertson described two defendants’ movements before the 3am attack.

Jones,  of East Bawtry Road, Whiston, had spent the afternoon of August 9 drinking, instead of visiting friends with his partner Emma Hunt, Damien Hunt’s sister, Mr Robertson said.

“He later met her at a friend's house, where they rowed and he carried on drinking, before going home,” he said.

Jones learned that Emma Hunt’s young son, who lived with them, had spent the previous night sleeping on the sofa at his dad Mark Senior’s house, the court was told.

Incensed by this, Jones drove to Senior's home at around 12am on August 10 and began shouting up at the windows, Mr Robertson said.

He allegedly threatened to come back with a gun and shoot Senior, adding that he would burn the house down with Senior's children inside.

Returning home, Jones called friend Kieran Rice, who arrived with brother Shane Rice shortly afterwards.

Jones carried on drinking sambuca, taking diazepam and taking cocaine, Mr Robertson said.

Shortly afterwards, Damien Hunt, of Doncaster Road, Rotherham, arrived and the four men went to his house on Doncaster Road, stopping at a garage near the Mushroom Roundabout to buy more sambuca.

The defendants took cocaine and drank more shots, with Jones saying he would “f****** blast” Senior, it is alleged.

The four went outside at 3am, where Jones threatened to “f****** hammer” the passing taxi driver and tried to get in his cab.

They then walked up Doncaster Road to an alleyway near Fitzwilliam Road, where Mr Ahmed passed at 3.16am.

Mr Robertson said footage from a nearby CCTV camera showed Jones and Hunt chasing Mr Ahmed out of view, followed slowly by the Rice brothers.

The Rices return to view a few seconds later and walk away, but Jones and Hunt remain out of shot for over a minute and a half, he said.

Mr Ahmed suffered head and face injuries in the attack, including broken dentures, stamp wounds on his face and bleeding on his brain, the jury heard.

He was found by a pedestrian two hours later and taken to hospital, where he died 11 days later.

Mr Robertson said one prosecution witness would later describe seeing Jones in a petrol station half an hour after the attack buying yet more alcohol.

On being asked how he was, Jones allegedly replied: “It's a good job you’re not a Paki.”

Police picked up Jones for drink-driving later the same day, when he was wearing different clothes, the court heard.

The clothes he was wearing during the attack, seen on CCTV, were never found, but Hunt's blood-stained trainers were found at his home, Mr Robertson said.

Hunt claims that he tried to stop Jones attacking Mr Ahmed, but the prosecutors sai this was not true.

Police found wounds on Hunt’s knuckles and his blood on Mr Ahmed's broken dentures, he added.

Hunt claims he suffered the injuries in a cycling accident.

Both men deny murder. The trial continues and could last up to three weeks.

Dave Doyle  Reporter

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