David Brickwood trial: Neighbour heard Northampton grandfather shout 'It's not here' at intruders, court told

A neighbour of Northampton's David Brickwood heard the 74-year-old shouting "it's not here" in a panic in the minutes before police arrived at the scene of his murder.

A trial is underway over the killing of the popular Abington scrap dealer, who died in September 2015.

But at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday (April 22), a jury heard the "deep regret" of the only person who may have heard the attack taking place - but did not call the police.

In a statement read out by prosecutor Mr Peter Grieves-Smith, the neighbour said: "I had never heard anything like it.

"I believe I heard David's voice in genuine distress.

"He said words to the effect of 'It's not here'.

"He said 'go on, get out of here, go back where you came from'.

"I believe I also heard him shout 'call the police'."

The prosecution's case is that Mr Brickwood was targeted for an alleged burglary that night because he was known to keep large amounts of cash in the house and "didn't trust banks".

In fact, when police searched the home after the murder, officers found £60,000 stashed across the home.

The jury also heard today from a police sergeant who said the grandfather's bedroom had been "ransacked". Entry had been forced to the locked bedroom room and his mattress had been flipped out of its frame in an untidy search.

The neighbour's statement continued: "I put my head out the window. The street was dead and eerily silent.

"I cannot see David's house from my window.

"I wasn't thinking clearly and was still half asleep. It crossed my mind he could have been speaking with his family.

"I went back to sleep. I now deeply regret not calling the police."

The less than 20 minutes later, the neighbour was woken up again by the sound of police officers using a battering ram to force entry to the Lindsay Avenue home.

Police arrived at 2.15am after Mr Brickwood himself called 999.

The call was played to the jury, who heard a distressed Mr Brickwood say "help me, police, police" before hanging up. The call lasted less than 10 seconds.

Despite the efforts of officers and paramedics, Mr Brickwood was pronounced dead at Northampton General Hospital at 3.30am.

Cameron St Rose, 26, of Bristol Road, Forest Gate, London, is accused of breaking into the home by removing a window pane from its frame on the ground floor and gaining entry, before fatally assaulting Mr Brickwood in a search for money. He denies all charges.

The prosecutor has stated there are no eyewitnesses to the events of September 26, 2015.