A 21-year-old Belfast man went on trial yesterday at the city's Crown Court accused of murdering his 78-year-old neighbour two years ago.
Mr Albert Spence died from inhaling his own blood after being beaten and tortured in the bedroom of his Shankill Road home in west Belfast in January 1997.
Mr William Murphy, from nearby Battenberg Street, denies his murder.
Mr Murphy initially admitted being in the pensioner's home years before but, on hearing his finger and palm prints had been found in the victim's house, claimed he'd burgled it just three weeks earlier.
He told police he had searched the house for money but found only two five pound notes and a pound coin, and that he'd picked on his neighbour only after hearing others claim the pensioner kept money in the house.
Mr Patrick Lynch, prosecuting, claimed Mr Murphy's Christmas burglary story was a "clear lie" which they would "demonstrate does not hold water".
He added that Mr Murphy, and possibly others, had broken into Mr Spence's home and either killed or intended to cause the pensioner serious bodily harm. Mr Spence, he added, "met a violent end in his own home, in his own bedroom" sometime between January 4th, 1997, when last seen alive, and January 6th.
Mr Lynch claimed the pensioner was beaten about the face and body, fracturing his nose, jaw, and eight of his ribs.
The trial continues today before Mr Justice Higgins.