Murder accused lied about identity, court hears

A man accused of murdering a woman while she was walking her dog lied about his identity when stopped by police months later, a court has heard.

Anita Rose, 57, was found seriously injured in her home village of Brantham, Suffolk, on the morning of 24 July.

Roy Barclay, who has no fixed address, is on trial at Ipswich Crown Court and denies murder.

Det Con Barry Simpson said that on 15 October, Mr Barclay gave Suffolk Police a fake name and said he lived at an address in Manningtree, Essex.

Det Con Simpson told the court that he spotted Mr Barclay near the White Bridge between Manningtree and Brantham and thought he looked similar to a man the police were trying to trace as part of the investigation into Ms Rose's death.

The police officer said he used his mobile phone to film Mr Barclay walking along the road and then later spoke to him and took his photograph.

He described Mr Barclay as "gaunt" and "slightly scruffy" but said he did not smell.

"He seemed quite nervous, quite anxious," said Det Con Simpson.

The defendant said his name was John Lesley and that he worked as a gardener, the officer added.

But under cross-examination from Mr Barclay's barrister, Det Con Simpson said Mr Barclay had told the truth when it came to his actual date of birth and mobile phone number.

The prosecution said "the manhunt commenced" for Mr Barclay after Suffolk Police conducted a search on that phone number and realised the defendant was already "unlawfully at large".

The jury was then shown CCTV footage of Mr Barclay being arrested at Ipswich County Library on 21 October.

The trial continues.

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