BUSINESSMAN KILLED IN 'BUNGLED' WAGES ROBBERY

Stephen Jones, 26, and Derek Hunter, 37, are accused of murdering Michael Willard during a bungled robbery at his scaffolding business.

Prosecutor Sally Howes QC said that 63-year-old Mr Willard was murdered on a Friday afternoon - the time of the week he always held cash in his office to pay staff.

Lewes Crown Court heard Jones had previously worked on a casual basis for Mr Willard, who ran his own business, Target Scaffolding, in Caves Road, Hastings.

She said it was Mr Willard's practice to always pay staff in cash on a Friday at about 5pm after they presented him with a work sheet.

Miss Howes said: "Any employee or former employee would be aware that payment was made with cash on that day."

The court heard Hunter had been living with his ex-girlfriend at the time, Stella Taylor, who had allegedly been helping him finance his drug habit, and Jones was living with his partner and her five children.

Miss Howes said that on the day of the alleged incident, Hunter was seen by a newsagent near the scaffolding business with a rolled-up newspaper concealing an object.

She said: "It is the Crown's case that what could be seen inside that rolled-up newspaper was a knife.

"There are no witnesses to the stabbing - there was only Mr Willard and, the Crown say, these two young men."

She said police were alerted shortly after 4.30pm on January 10 2003 when Mr Willard made a 999 call.

She said: "Michael Willard made an emergency 99 call. He maintained the line long enough to tell the operator he had been stabbed.

"Contact ended when Mr Willard became unconscious."

When police and paramedics arrived he was slumped on the floor of his office and he was later pronounced dead at the Conquest Hospital after suffering a haemorrhage from a single stab wound to the back.

She told the court just after midnight the following day, Jones had telephoned an acquaintance of his, Lee Phillips.

She said: "Stephen Jones said that he and Derek had done something that had gone horribly wrong and he may need Lee Phillips to be his alibi and that he needed to get rid of his car as someone may have recognised it or recognised him in it.

"Later that day Lee Phillips met up with Stephen Jones in order that Stephen Jones could repay him 20 he owed him from an earlier occasion.

"Lee Phillips noticed, when paying him back, that Stephen Jones pulled out a roll of bank notes, 50s and 20s, and there seemed to be a considerable sum in his pocket.

"In the days following, Stephen Jones went on a spending spree buying new clothes for himself, his partner and their children."

The court heard that Hunter, of West Hill Road, St Leonards, admits the robbery of Mr Willard, but denies murdering him.

Miss Howes said: "As far as murder is concerned he says he is not guilty, albeit he was there. He is not guilty, he was only there to rob, he didn't have a knife, therefore it must have been Jones and he didn't know Jones had a knife."

She added Jones, of Perth Road, St Leonards, denies both being involved in the robbery and the murder.

The jury heard Hunter denies a further charge of robbery at the home of Kathy Quinault where he is alleged to have stolen a mobile phone, electronic scales and 550 in cash.

But the court heard he admitted a third charge of assault with intent to rob - committed six days after the alleged murder.

The court was told on this occasion, he and another man had entered the Benson Solicitors office in Queen's Road, Hastings and assaulted Andrew Benson.

A scaffolder told the trial how Mr Willard, his former boss, would always pay staff at the same time each week.

Gary Terrell, who was working full-time for Mr Willard at the time of his murder, told the court he had employed many casual workers in the past.

He said: "Payday was usually on a Friday, in the afternoon, in the yard, in the office.

"As a rule it was about 5pm in the yard, in the office.

"Usually, you would go into the office one at a time.

"Mr Willard would give you your wage packet.

"You would count it and make sure it is right and then the next person would go in.

"You had to hand in a time sheet for the week's work."

Mr Terrell was asked to name some of the people who had previously worked for Mr Willard on a casual or part-time basis.

One of the names he said was "Steve Jones."

The case continues.