A pensioner was murdered at his Maidstone home and left covered in a curtain on a sofa bed, a court heard this week.

John Birney’s decomposing body was discovered after he had not been seen for some time and other residents in Rocky Hill Terrace, Rocky Hill, noticed an unpleasant smell coming from his flat.

The 69-year-old’s hands were tied with a belt. Two knives were found on the floor next to him, a jury at Maidstone Crown Court was told.

Allison Tomlin, who had been staying at a flat in the block, was arrested after her DNA was found on the knives and the belt was matched to a coat at her home.

John Barham, 25, was arrested but then released without charge. But he was arrested again when police discovered he had bragged to several people that he had “got away with murder”.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor said Mr Birney’s body was found on June 8 this year by Amanda Lovelace, a coordinator at the supported housing for over 60s, and caretaker Matthew Friend.

The investigation was hampered because of the state of the body which made it difficult to put a date on the death.

But the post mortem examination did reveal he had suffered 10 stab wounds, most of which were to the head.

Mr Taylor said Tomlin, 48, had been in Mr Birney’s flat before he died.

Although there was a conspicuous police presence after the body was found she made no effort to contact them.

Following her arrest on June 10 she answered no comment during each of the five times she was interviewed.

Barham was arrested along with his girlfriend Alina Korosteliova on June 9. A pair of his jeans were found to have Mr Birney’s blood on them.

It was not possible to determine when the blood was deposited and Barham gave an explanation for it being there.

He was released but he then made a number of admissions to “a disparate group of individuals” in July and August.

Tomlin, of no fixed address, and Barham, of Quarry Road, Tovil, deny murder.

The trial continues.