‘Unknown man’ created list of theft targets, jury told

Murder trial

A Peterborough man accused of murdering a rare book dealer claims an “unknown man” created a list of celebrity and high-profile targets, a court has heard.

Michael Danaher, 50, is accused of murdering Oxford educated academic Adrian Greenwood, whowas discovered with stab wounds at his home in Oxford on April 7. The prosecution alleges a list of high-profile targets for theft, robbery and ransom demands was discovered on Dana her’ slaptop on a document called enterprises. Internet searches for the addresses of celebrities including Gary Lineker had also been carried out.

But giving evidence at Oxford Crown Court on Monday, Dana her said he had discovered someone who was referred to in court as “unknown man”, and who he refused to name, had created the list while using his laptop in his flat. When he questioned the man - who he would only say was of a “large build” - after finding the document, Dana her said: “He told me it had nothing to f ****** do with me.” He added: “He said I would get f ****** hurt if I said anything to anyone.”

Danaher, of Hadrians Court, Peterborough, told the court he first met Mr Greenwood, 42, at an auction in Henley-on-Thamesat theendof2015, where he had bought some books. He said the pair chatted, describing him as a “very sociable nice guy”.

When asked about searches on his mobile phone which included “Adrian Greenwood rare books” and those relating to The Wind In The Willows, hesaid this must have been him and he was just “looking at how he was advertising things”.

When questioned about laptop searches across April 5 and April 6, including “rich singletons”, “getting away with murder ”,“guns ”,“safes ”, “Wind In The Wil lows So theby’s” and “Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit ”, he denied they were made by him.