A HITMAN was hired to kill a Colchester pensioner by a greedy stepson who wanted his inheritance, a jury heard.

Flash Day denies conspiring to murder 71-year-old John Sales and awarding a contract to kill in order to get up to £200,000 from the eventual sale of the Hythe Hill house.

Mr Sales was stabbed repeatedly in the neck, face, chest and back during an evening attack at his home by a man he had never met.

Brian Reece, prosecuting at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday, claimed it was all done for money.

The jury, of seven women and five men, heard the distressing 999 call from a victim taking what he thought would be his last breaths.

Mr Sales told the emergency operator: “I have been stabbed. I feel terrible.“I have not got long. Please hurry. I am going to die.”

Fortunately life saving help arrived in time to save him.

They also watched the body worn camera footage from police officers of his blood stained home.

Mr Sales had tried to first get away from his attacker during a two stage attack and then get a door open so police and paramedics could get him and try to save him.

The attack took place on November 10, 2015.

Ryan Hynes, 22, of Long Road, Lawford, has admitted attempted murder and being the “knifeman”.

Day, 46, of Rose Allen Avenue, Colchester, denies any involvement.

Mr Reece told the jury Day tried to hide any links between himself, Hynes and another alleged conspirator, who is not on trial.

He said there is phone evidence of Day panicking and sending messages to alleged co-conspirators which prove his involvement.

He told of attempts by Day to hide his phone and pretend it had been stolen, which were unsuccessful. He said: “This is conspiracy to murder.

“He went to astonishing lengths to conceal his phone from the investigation.”

Mr Reece added he had good reason to because it revealed messages from Day about how Hynes needed to cover his tracks and keep his name out of it.

He said: “Hynes attempted to kill John Sales in pursuance of an agreement to do so.

“Day was part of the conspiracy, he is the man who put Hynes up to it. The profit in this would all have ended up with Day.

“It could not have been done without his say so.”

n The trial continues.