A mechanic accused of brutally beating a pensioner to death told a jury he could not remember what he'd been doing in the hours leading up to the murder because it was "just an ordinary day".

Mark Love, 38, said he struggled to remember his movements the evening 73-year-old widower Roy Blackman was punched, kicked and stamped to death but could recall what he did the next day in fine detail.

Love said he could recall spending hundreds of pounds during a lavish spending spree at a designer shopping centre in Ashford, and splashing the cash at a betting shop.

He is currently on trial at Maidstone Crown Court accused of murder and aggravated burglary, but while on the stand, he denied his lack of memory was because he was lying about his involvement in the pensioner’s death.

Love maintained he had never been to Mr Blackman’s bungalow in Headcorn Road, Biddenden, despite his DNA being found in the blood-spattered property.

Asked during cross-examination why his memory of the day in March was pretty bad, Love said: “It was probably just an ordinary day when I was visiting the yard.

“I asked friends, family, to find out but I can’t be sure where I was at.

“It was just an ordinary day. I spoke to my wife, aunts and uncles but was none the wiser. It was just an ordinary day.”

When told by prosecutor Simon Taylor the reason for his lack of memory was because he was lying, Love simply said: “No.”

Mr Blackman, a garage owner who lived alone, suffered multiple fractures to his face and body and had more than 60 separate injuries - including brain injury so severe, it could have killed him alone.

A post-mortem examination found Mr Blackman had died from a sustained attack of severe force.

His clothes were also cut from his body and soaked in bath water in what the prosecution say was part of an effort to removed any traces of his attackers’ DNA.

They were found next to Mr Blackman’s naked body when his daughter, Nicola, arrived at his home the morning after he was killed.

Love, of Frittenden Road, Staplehurst, told the court he knew of Mr Blackman’s property and had driven past it on many occasions.

But he refuted being part of the gang who murdered the pensioner and then fled with a safe containing between £100,000 and £250,000.

Love’s DNA was later found on bath taps but his legal team claim it was left there by someone else, what is known as secondary transfer, possibly after his lock-up was burgled and rubber gloves stolen.

Less than 20 hours after Mr Blackman was killed, Love and another man suspected of the murder, William Smith, went with a wad cash in £20 notes to the Ashford Designer Outlet, purchased designer clothes and spent £140 on a gambling machine in minutes.

The court heard the two men were usually short of money but Love claimed Smith had won £2,000 gambling the previous day and was treating him because he had previously lent him money.

He said he had spoken to Smith via phone that morning about going on a shopping trip, and went to pick him up after leaving work at 2.30pm.

However, the jury heard it was Love who had control of the money.

A Fred Perry shop worker gave evidence to say the pair were spending "like mad" and grabbing whatever they could buy.

Love agreed he changed his entire outfit, right down to his socks and shoes, but said it was because he was wearing his filthy mechanics' clothing.

He denied the shop worker’s claim he’d then asked another worker to get rid of his dirty ones.

“I didn’t say that, one million per cent,” said Love. “Why would I throw clothes away that could be washed?”

When told by Mr Taylor it was because he had beaten Mr Blackman to death while wearing them, Love said: “I don’t think so.”

He could not explain why 36-year-old Smith also changed his clothes.

Love handed himself in to police 17 days after the killing and police seized a Vauxhall Astra van in his lock-up on land known as Pork Pie Farm and it was sodden throughout as if, said Mr Taylor, it had been submerged in a lake.

The prosecution allege the van was used to move the safe, which has never been traced, from Mr Blackman’s home and that it has been washed to remove any evidence.

But Love told the court he had used an industrial-strength jet wash to clean it after one of his dogs messed in the back and had trampled it through the car.

He denied it was because the van had been used in the murder.

Smith, 36, from Golford, near Cranbrook, was originally arrested by police on suspicion of murder but was later fatally shot on May 1 after going on the run.

The jury were told he would have been in the dock with Love had he still been alive.

It is also alleged both men left traces of their DNA at the home of champion clay pigeon shooter George Digweed during a similar raid at his East Sussex home exactly a month before the one at Mr Blackman’s home.

The 52-year-old was struck to his head with the butt of one of his own guns, leaving a wound so deep, doctors could see down to his skull.

Love’s DNA was found on the Taser and a club hammer used by the intruders to smash their way in through a rear patio door at the Digweed home in Northiam.

The gang made demands for money, ransacked his home and fled with more than £12,000 and other items.

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdicts next week.