A PENSIONER was stabbed repeatedly by a stranger, a court heard.

Flash Day is accused of hiring a hitman to kill his stepfather, John Sales, in order to inherit up to £200,000 from the sale of a house in Hythe Hill, Colchester.

He denies conspiracy to murder.

Mr Sales, now 71, who married Day’s mother in 1995, helped to look after Flash, then known as Ashley even after his mother died.

The court heard Day considered Mr Sales his second father, however, on one occasion, several years ago, they had fallen out about inheritance and the house.

It is alleged a note had been left on the grave of Mr Sales’ wife, and Day’s mother, stating she would want Day to have the house. Mr Sales confronted Day about the note and they had “a tussle” but quickly made up.

In late October 2015, Day took a 70th birthday card to the Hythe Hill home and Mr Sales said it was then Day found out the house was being sold and he was buying another in Mersea.

The prosecution claims Day decided to have him killed.

A few days later Day failed to attend Mr Sales’ 70th birthday meal claiming he was away delivering rabbit hutches.

On November 10, Mr Sales was brutally assaulted at his Hythe Hill home.

He told the jury he was getting ready to play bowls in Mersea as he did at that time every week.

He said: “There was a knock on the back door and a man said his son or grandson had lost a ball.

“He said ‘Do you think he could look for it’ and I said yes and got a torch.

“The next thing I knew I got a terrific smash in the face and I was on the ground. I thought it was a lump of concrete it was so hard.

“There was kicking and punching, or so I thought, knocking me senseless.

“I thought he was just punching me, I can’t even remember seeing all the blood.

“It just went on, and on, and on.

"He was doing it everywhere to me.”

But they were not punches but stab wounds. The court heard the attack eventually relented and as his attacker was walking off but returned and carried out a second attack.

Mr Sales said: “He was just killing me. I got the strength to get out of the back garden, otherwise I would have died. I made it to the phone.”

Mr Sales spent six weeks in a coma and more time in hospital.

The court heard Day was, and still is, due to inherit 60 per cent of Mr Sales’ estate however, Mr Sales also told the jury at Chelmsford Crown Court Day did not know what he would or inherit when the attack took place.

Ryan Hynes, 22, of Long Road, Lawford, has admitted attempted murder.

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

  • The trial continues.