Elderly man 'slashed with knife' during Suffolk house raid, court told

The victim had been about to watch ‘Match of the Day’ in the living room at the property 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, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

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

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.

Before the court are Jordan Carr, 32, and David Parker, 47, both of no fixed address, who have denied aggravated burglary in August 2018.

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 and the police were contacted.

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

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

They also found the male victim’s wedding ring which had been pushed down the side of a sofa.

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

The trial continues.