‘Murdered for a rare collection of Beatrix Potter 50p coins’

A COIN collector was stabbed to death in his home by a fellow enthusiast who wanted his limited edition Beatrix Potter 50p pieces, a court heard.

Gordon Mcghee, 52, was found dead with 14 knife wounds including some to his face in his flat, which the attacker had allegedly tried to burn down before fleeing.

Danny Bostock, 33, who knew Mr Mcghee and shared his hobby of collecting coins, was later arrested.

Much of Mcghee’s coin collection including the prized Beatrix Potter coins were never recovered, the court heard.

Opening the trial at Ipswich Crown Court, prosecutor Andrew Jackson described the attack as “determined and brutal”.

He said Bostock wanted the coin collection having swapped his own Beatrix Potter coins with other people just before the alleged murder in Colchester, Essex in August.

He said: “He was disturbed during the course of the burglary by Mr Mcghee and so he murdered Mr Mcghee by stabbing him several times 14 times to his face, neck and upper body. These injuries were catastrophic”.

Bostock denies murder and attempted arson.