West Bromwich car jacking trial: Accused said he had 'got a car to sell' after alleged robbery
A drug addict accused of carrying out a brutal car jacking on a pensioner told a friend of his partner he had 'got a car' which was going to be sold on for £2,500, a court was told.
Andrew Jones visited the flat of Louise Pitchford on May 11 - the day after the attack on 79-year-old Reginald Stocking took place.
Mr Stocking's Peugeot 207 was stolen during the car jacking in Chapel Street, West Bromwich, and the pensioner left lying in a pool of his own blood. He suffered brain damage.
Jones, aged 34, of Manley Close, West Bromwich, denies robbery, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, burglary and witness intimidation.
The trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court was told Jones had been let into the flat by Miss Pitchford's partner.
"He came into the living room and his first word was he had got a car. I asked where he had got it from. He just said the man had gone into the shop and he had jumped in the car," she said.
"Andrew said it was a brand new Peugeot, I did not know the colour, but he was not keeping it." Miss Pitchford said Jones had told her someone else was buying it for £2,500 who planned to use it for 'a job'.
"He said he was just waiting for the money to come through. The car was around the flats at the time." She added Jones had seemed 'quite happy and cheery'.
Miss Pitchford said he had left the flat after around 20 minutes. She told the court he had come to their flat looking for his partner at the time Stacey Johnson.
The jury heard Miss Pitchford had known Miss Johnson for around nine months and had met Jones later.
She and her partner had been planning to adopt one of Miss Johnson's children as she was unable to cope.
Mr Jas Mann, defending Jones, said his client had 'not been happy' about the situation.
But Miss Pitchford said while he had not been happy Miss Johnson was still going to let them do it.
However, she admitted there was 'no love lost' between her and Jones.
Mr Mann said: "I suggest he (Jones) did not say anything about a car when he came to your flat."
Miss Pitchford refuted this.
The court previously heard Mr Stocking had hit his head beneath the door of the vehicle and was left lying in the middle of the road like a 'bundle of rags'.
He had gone around to a private car park after dropping his wife Sylvia off at their home.
The court as told he had left the vehicle to open the gates when the car jacking took place.
The trial continues.
