A jury has been empanelled in the trial of a 28-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy accused of murdering an 83-year-old man at his home near Colchester.
Leighton Snook, of no fixed address, and the teenager, who cannot be identified because of his age, have denied murdering Donald Ralph.
Mr Ralph, known as Don, was found dead at his bungalow in Halstead Road, Aldham, near Colchester, on December 29.
A post-mortem examination found he had been strangled.
Snook has also denied burglary at Mr Ralph’s home on December 28 during which a self-loading Ruger Rifle 22 RF, a Browning 12 bore over and under shotgun and the keys to a Volvo were stolen.
Snook and the teenager have both denied stealing a Volvo on the same date.
Judge Martyn Levett adjourned the trial until Wednesday ( June 16) when prosecution counsel, Simon Spence QC is expected to open the case to the jury.
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