Murder suspect "threatened to burn family's house before killing OAP"

Mark Senior and Natasha Bates claim Dale Jones (30), of East Bawtry Road, Whiston, threatened to shoot Mr Senior and burn their house down, hours before he allegedly killed 81-year-old Mushin Ahmed.

Their CCTV camera shows the defendant pulling up to their house in his car at around 12.10am last August 10, getting out and shouting something for a few seconds.

Mr Senior told Sheffield Crown Court: “I heard threats to kill. He said he was going to get a gun and come back.

“He said ‘I don't care if the police are here. He said he was going to end my life.’”

Mr Andrew Robertson, prosecuting, asked Mr Senior: "Did you take the threats seriously?"

Mr Senior replied: “Very seriously.”

Mr Dermot Hughes, defending Jones, asked Mr Senior how long Jones was there.

Mr Senior said: “Five to seven minutes.”

Mr Hughes asked: “Is there any chance you could have exaggerated a little bit?”

Mr Senior replied: “No.”

Mr Hughes said: “I suggest that he did come round and he was angry, but he didn't make threats to harm you or your family.”

Mr Senior replied: “He did.”

Mr Hughes said: “I say the whole thing lasted ten seconds. Does that sound right to you?”

Mr Senior said: “No.”

Ms Bates gave a similar account of the incident, saying it lasted “about five minutes.”

Judge Mr Justice Stephen Males heard this morning (Tuesday) that Mr Ahmed suffered a series of kicks, punches and stamps as he returned from morning prayers at a nearby mosque.

Mr Ahmed’s died in hospital 11 days after the attack, on August 21 last year.

The court heard Jones called Mr Ahmed a “groomer” before chasing him down Doncaster Road and attacking in an apparent racist attack.

Mr Ahmed was born in Yemen, but had lived at the same Rotherham address with his wife Margaret for 47 years.

Jones and Damian Hunt (30), of Doncaster Road, East Dene, both deny murder. The trial continues.