Day Two: John Coates Murder Trial (From The Northern Echo)

3:54pm

Under cross examination she says that Baker was upset when she told him about the discovery of John Coates' body.

3:54pm

The court breaks for five minutes after the witness says she feels sick as she watches CCTV footage of her chatting to Baker in the lift.

3:53pm

CCTV footage showed the pair in lift in the flats. She tells the jury Baker wrote RIP John on a Facebook message she posted after Sept 17.

3:15pm

Speaking to a man she called Saul (Baker) in the lifts of the flats who told her the police might want to speak to him about John's key.

3:11pm

A female resident, who lives in the flats, tells the jury that she saw Mr Coates a day or so before he died.

3:02pm

CCTV footage shows Baker and Michael Flanders chatting in the foyer of the flats on Sept 19 when Baker showed him a paper with the story on.

3:00pm

He said Baker said to him he might have been the last person to see him (Mr Coates) alive as he had to give him the recreation room key.

2:58pm

Fleet House resident Michael Flanders tells the court he knew Robert Baker from living in the flats.

2:49pm

Next witness PC Hodgson confirms that Baker dodn't want them in the flat and looked nervous.

2:49pm

PC Lambert says he couldn't smell cannabis in the flat when asked by defence barrister Mr Bethel.

2:49pm

He seemed nervous and didn't want us to speak to him in the flat. Baker was sweating and overly polite when being spoken to.

2:48pm

Next witness is PC Lambert. He carried door to door inquires in relation to Mr Coates murder and spoke to Robert Baker on September 18.

2:48pm

Witness maintains he spoke to the defendant about him buying bleach to clean his kitchen. Mr Bethel asked him if it was true. Yes he said.

2:48pm

Nunn tells court that police didn't show him pictures of defendant during interview. He accepts be can't member Baker buying portable BBQ.

2:48pm

Martin Bethel is asking Nunn to recall what happened on the day he sold bleach and toothbrushes to the man he picked out in police ID parade

2:48pm

Afternoon session of Robert Baker's murder trial gets underway with the cross examination of Tesco worker Philip Nunn.

12:56pm

The prosecution allege that Baker used bleach and a toothbrush to clean an X-Box stolen from Mr Coates' flat.

12:56pm

Shop worker Philip Nunn tells the court he sold 2 bottles of bleach, a family pack of toothbrushes and a bottle of pop to a white local man.

12:44pm

When asked if he still stood by the claims that Baker was sweaty, pale and not making eye contact after watching the CCTV, Mr Owen said no.

12:44pm

Mr Bethel asks why are you saying he looked like he'd a guilty conscience or something to hide. 'Why are you saying those poisonous things?'

12:44pm

Under cross examination Owens says he wasn't sure about what happened on the lift.

12:44pm

The witness gave a statement to the police the day after Baker's arrest and says he had heard rumours about Baker's involvement.

12:44pm

He added 'He couldn't look me in the eye.'

12:44pm

He said 'He wasn't agitated was he?' Mr Jackson replied 'No comment.'

12:44pm

Mr Jackson's cousin Liam Owen is now giving evidence. He said Baker looked sweaty and pale with his jacket undone and no shoes on.

12:44pm

Cross examining Mr Jackson, defence barrister Martin Bethel challenges the witnesses' version of events. 'You were a bit dramatic about it.'

12:44pm

Mr Baker got in the lift on the floor Mr Coates lived on.

12:43pm

CCTV from the lift shows the three men in the lift. Baker was wearing a tracksuit top without a T-shirt underneath. He also had no shoes on.

12:43pm

When he saw Baker who he said looked agitated. He was jittery, pale and sweaty he told the jurors.

12:43pm

He tells the court he saw Robert Baker in the lift after spending five minutes trying to get the lift to come his floor.

12:43pm

Next witness is Matthew Jackson who visited the block of flats on September 9 with his cousin to visit a friend who lives there.

11:46am

The witness remembers seeing Mr Baker in the laundrette at the flats a week after the murder of John Coates. They talked about a X-Box game.

11:46am

He last saw Mr Coates a couple of weeks before he was murdered when he asked him if he had seen Robert Baker as be wanted the keyfob back.

11:46am

First live witness of the day, Alexander McQueen, tells the court Mr Coates kept himself to himself and only ever had brief conversations.

11:46am

She did this after family raised concerns about missing goods from the flat before it became a crime scene.

11:46am

Initially Mr Coates' death was not treated as suspicious after he was found dead in a full bath. It was thought to be a tragic accident.

11:45am

Teesside Crown Court hears that estate manage for the flats took pictures inside the flat before cleaners went into Mr Coates' home.

11:25am

The first written statements being read out to jurors are dealing with the theft of the tv and portraying Mr Coates as a friendly man.

11:25am

Defence barrister Martin Bethel tells the court that Baker, 24, admits stealing a tv from the flats communal room using Mr Coates key fob.

11:25am

The jurors and the defendant have entered the court following a short delay in proceedings.

11:25am

The second day of Robert Baker's trial for the murder of John Coates in September. The 61-year-old was found battered to death in his flat.

11:25am

Baker denies the murder of Mr Coates in the block of flats on Cargo Fleet Lane, Middlesbrough.