David Brickwood trial: Two cars from outside Northampton left Lindsay Avenue area one minute before 999 call

Half an hour before the fatal attack on David Brickwood, two Ford Focus' drove into Northampton from the M1.

The last time they were seen on CCTV was as they sped away from Abington on Park Avenue North at 2.02am - one minute before the distressed 999 call from Mr Brickwood that he needed help.

At Birmingham Crown Court yesterday (April 26), a jury heard how these two cars were detected by ANPR cameras on the night of the 74-year-old grandfather's murder - and have never been seen since.

The evidence was heard as part of the trial of Cameron St Rose, 26, of Bristol Road, Forest Gate.

It is alleged that the London man and an as-yet unidentified accomplice broke into Mr Brickwood's home on September 26, 2015, and brutally attacked him in a search for cash stashed in the home.

Detective sergeant Robert Gray of Northamptonshire Police told the jury in evidence how a silver Ford Focus and a black Ford Focus had a hit on the ANPR camera at Junction 15 on the M1 outside Northampton.

In the half-an-hour before the alleged break in, the two cars drove up Park Avenue North - a road that leads onto Lindsay Avenue, where Mr Brickwood lived.

The officer said: "The next time the vehicles these vehicles were seen was at 2.02am when they were seen driving southbound on Park Avenue North, driving away from the scene.

"This was one minute before the 999 call at 2.03am by Mr Brickwood."

Both cars were registered to two individuals in Dagenham, East London.

They have never been seen again since the night of the attack.

The officer said: "There is no record on the DVLA of the cars being reregistered or transferred since this day, or receiving an MOT or being insured."

Prosecutor Mr Peter Grieves-Smith presented no evidence that the two cars were connected to St Rose. He has previously told the jury there are "no eyewitnesses" to call over the murder of Mr Brickwood, and his case is based on "very good" circumstantial evidence.

The prosecution's case is that St Rose and an accomplice entered the Lindsay Avenue home by entirely removing a glass pane from a ground floor window and climbing in.

It is the case that St Rose - who would have been 21 at the time of the offence - left his DNA on a rubber seal that fell out of the window frame when he allegedly removed it in the break in.

St Rose denies both charges of burglary and murder.

The trial continues.