A 47-year-old Suffolk man accused of being involved in a knifepoint robbery at the home of an elderly Suffolk couple has been cleared by a jury.

Before Ipswich Crown Court on Friday (December 17) was David Parker, of no fixed address, who denied aggravated burglary.

His co-defendant Jordan Carr, 32, of no fixed address, had denied being involved in the aggravated burglary which took place in 2018 but changed his plea to guilty on Thursday (December 15) and he will be sentenced on January 28.

The court has heard that the male victim had been about to watch ‘Match of the Day’ in the living room of his home in Norman Road, Bury St Edmunds, while his partner was in a bedroom watching an episode of the crime drama ‘Vera’ when there was a bang at the front door.

The man, who has since died, went to investigate and was confronted by two men who forced their way into the house.

One of them allegedly held a knife at the man’s throat and told him to sit down while the other intruder went into the bedroom.

They had then ransacked the house looking for items to steal, said Edward Hollingsworth, prosecuting.

The man had picked up a cosh from a chair and had used it to try to fight off the man holding the knife at his throat but he was pushed to the ground and slashed on the arms with the knife.

The intruders had cut the telephone wires and had then made off with a number of items, including the man’s wedding ring, said Mr Hollingsworth.

Mr Hollingsworth told the court that after the alleged incident the male victim had gone to a neighbour’s house in a “state of shock and distress” to get help.

The male victim told officers that he thought that one of the burglars was a man called “Dave” lived in Lancaster Avenue in Bury St Edmunds.

When police went to the address in Lancaster Avenue they found Parker and Carr there and in a backpack belonging to Carr they found 30 packets of cigarettes and tobacco which were allegedly stolen during the burglary.

They also found two bottles of a painkilling medicine belonging to the female victim and the male victim’s wedding ring down the side of a sofa.

A knife with the male victim’s blood was allegedly found under the sofa, said Mr Hollingsworth.