Dripping Blood Led To Victim's Body

31 August 2010, 07:40 | Updated: 1 September 2010, 07:48

Police were led to the body of a murdered waiter by blood dripping from a ceiling into an office below, a court heard today.

A member of staff at a firm of architects spotted red liquid seeping on to a door frame in Sutton Park Road, Seaford, East Sussex.

The woman, Fay Warwick, rang the doorbell of the flat above and also tried telephoning the property's owners but received no answer.

Lewes Crown Court heard Ms Warwick called police and a community support officer got into the flat to find the blood-stained body of Ahmed Remon Hayder.

Prosecutor Philippa McAtasney QC said Mr Hayder, 27 and known as Ray, was murdered by his cousin, Mohammed Anhar, and his accomplice, Shahdat Mollah Sohag.

Jurors heard Mr Hayder's family had helped Anhar move to the UK and employed him at their restaurant, the Moon of India, which is above the murder scene and was where Mr Hayder was a waiter.

Ms McAtasney said Anhar was asked to leave the business as he had ``behaved badly'' and at the time of the killing was said to be struggling financially.

She said: ``Mohammed Anhar knew the layout of the premises and he knew the habits of the family and staff. He also knew that his aunt had jewellery.

``What the prosecution say is that Anhar repaid his family's kindness by bringing his friend, Mr Sohag, to Seaford and burgling Mr and Mrs Hayder's home.''

Prosecutors say Anhar put a ladder to the staff side of living accommodation above the restaurant and then let Sohag in.

Ms McAtasney told jurors: ``They then entered the living quarters, arming themselves, the prosecution say, with weapons.

``The prosecution say it is apparent from the injuries that Mr Hayder suffered that they were caused by two weapons. One is likely to have been a large knife and the other a blunt instrument of some type.''

Mr Hayder, who was born in the UK and is of Bangladeshi descent, had 16 blows inflicted to his head and face. He suffered a broken nose and a sliced jaw.

Jewellery belonging to his mother was stolen and later sold for #1,500.

Sohag, 21, of no fixed address, denies murder and aggravated burglary.

Anhar, 33, of Gurdon Road, east London, has pleaded guilty to the charges and will be sentenced at the end of Sohag's trial.