A MAN who gave police a false identity was dropped off at a murder suspect’s house the night before an 85-year-old grandmother was strangled, a court heard.
The man, calling himself Neil Hodgson and claiming to live in Ann Street, South Bank, Middlesbrough, was spotted walking in the middle of the A66, near the Hartington Interchange, Middlesbrough, on September 4.
Steven Hodgson, who lived at the address at the time, denies murdering Patricia Thompson, of Emma Simpson Court, Hartburn, Stockton, and burgling her house on September 5, last year.
She was strangled before her home was set on fire. Personal possessions, including her wedding ring, were missing.
PC David Leicester, of Cleveland Police, stopped the man due to safety fears, but could not find a trace of him using the details he provided.
As no offence had been committed, a search could not be carried out and he dropped him off at his home.
“He said that he had been on a night out in Middlesbrough town centre and spent all his money and didn’t have enough for a taxi so he was walking,”
said PC Leicester.
Steven Hodgson admits he did steal cards, cash, financial documents and jewellery from Mrs Thompson’s house, but on the night before her death.
He says after committing the burglary he could not get a taxi so decided to walk to Middlesbrough along the A66.
During a trial at Teesside Crown Court yesterday, the jury was told how an Asda receipt, which included Mrs Thompson’s bank card details, a pendant and jewellery were found at Mr Hodgson’s home.
A mobile phone and rings belonging to Mrs Thompson, and a prescription label were found down a nearby drain.
Two religious pendants and a cap identical to the one worn by a man in Asda were found at the home of one of Mr Hodgson’s relatives in nearby Coulthard Street.
An identical suitcase to one Mrs Thompson owned was found at a disused scrapyard in South Bank.
The court was shown footage of a man using the victim’s bank cards in Asda, South Bank, less than two hours after she was murdered.
The trial continues.
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