Kentish Express Ashford & District
‘Boastful killers went on a spree’
Two murder suspects went on a bizarre spending spree at the Ashford Designer Outlet centre just hours after an elderly businessman was brutally beaten to death in his home, a court heard.
Roy Blackman, 73, was stripped naked at his bungalow in Biddenden and punched, kicked and stamped on by raiders who fled with a safe containing up to £250,000 in cash.
A court was told on Tuesday how Mark Love, 38, who denies murdering the pensioner, and William Smith – who was later shot dead by armed police hunting Mr Blackman’s killers – visited several shops at the Designer Outlet following the killing in March, spending more than £600 in cash in the centre’s Fred Perry clothing store.
Prosecutor Simon Taylor told Maid- stone Crown Court: “Staff observed their behaviour was flash and boastful and were clearly trying to impress the female shop assistants.
“They bragged about going to the bookies and spending £500 and asked the female assistants what they were doing later.”
An elderly businessman was brutally beaten to death at his home before burglars fled with a safe containing up to £250,000, a court heard this week.
The raid was carried out by the same gang that launched a violent attack at the home of a champion clay pigeon marksman, it was alleged.
Roy Blackman was stripped naked at his bungalow in Biddenden and punched, kicked and stamped on by burglars who eventually fled with the safe.
Mark Love, 38, denies murdering the garage owner and bird breeder in March and aggravated burglary at the home of George and Kate Digweed in Northiam, Rye, east Sussex, a month before.
Prosecutor Simon Taylor alleged another man, William Smith – who was shot dead by police – was also involved in the offences.
“It may well have been, had he been alive, William Smith would have been in the dock alongside Mr Love,” he told the jury at Maidstone Crown Court.
“Mark Love was involved in both of them. Serious violence was used against the occupants.
“There is one key difference between the allegations.
“Tragically violence in the second offence led to the death of the occupant – Roy Blackman, a 73-year-old widower beaten to death in his own home.
“Mercifully, the victims of the earlier burglary didn’t suffer such an extreme fate, although significant injuries were sustained by the male occupant.”
Mr Taylor said DNA from Love, of Frittenden Road, Staplehurst, and Mr Smith, who was 36, was found at the scene of both crimes.
Mr Blackman was murdered at Heartsay Bungalow in Headcorn Road, Biddenden, during the night of March 20.
It was likely he was attacked after interrupting the burglars.
His home was “comprehensively ransacked” as they searched for valuables.
“Both Mr Love and Mr Smith left deposits of their DNA at the scene of the crime,” said Mr Taylor.
“It was in circumstances which were otherwise inexplicable.”
Love’s DNA was found on a glove, debris under a fish tank and on a tap in the bathroom.
Mr Smith’s DNA was on a bottle of cleaning fluid in the lounge.
The burglars had run a bath in the upstairs of the chalet bungalow to wash items in an attempt to destroy scientific evidence.
After Love’s arrest, the interior of a white Astra van associated with him at a lock-up at Porkpie Farm in Frittenden was sodden with dirty water as if it had been submerged in a lake.
The jury of seven men and five women were being taken on a view of both crime scenes yesterday (Wednesday).
The trial continues.