Murder accused lied and lied, claims QC

A carpet fitter accused of murdering a Black Country father in a graveyard repeatedly lied to police when interviewed, it was alleged in court.

After his arrest, Stuart Alsop provided officers with a false alibi for the time his best friend Paul Hadley was being bludgeoned to death in the grounds of St John the Baptist Church, Halesowen. Alsop, aged 42, of Hill Street, Halesowen, also lied about the clothes he had been wearing on the night that care worker Mr Hadley was killed, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Richard Latham QC, cross examining Alsop, said the defendant initially claimed he was in a pub with friends between 7pm and 8.30pm on November 18, 2008.

Alsop said he was waiting for Mr Hadley, aged 40, of Is-lington, Halesowen, to meet them.

But CCTV footage later showed Alsop at various locations throughout Halesowen town centre, the jury was told.

Mr Latham said to Alsop: "You knew you needed an alibi between 7pm and 7.15pm, when we say the murder happened. That is something only the killer knew.

"You were one of the last people to speak to Paul Hadley before he dropped off the radar and you lied about the contents of the final conversation you had with him at about 6.58pm."

In his first statement, Alsop told police officers he was wearing a cream jumper and brown shoes on the night of the attack.

But CCTV footage shows he was wearing black shoes and a blue jumper until at least 7pm when he called a taxi and went home to change, the court heard.

Alsop told the jury: "I couldn't remember what I was wearing at the time, can you remember what you had on last Saturday?

"I don't know what the killer was wearing because I'm not the killer."

Alsop agreed that he had once owned and worn a pair of jeans, two black shoes and glove found abandoned near Mr Hadley's body and covered in blood.

In another lie, Alsop told officers he had tried to phone Mr Hadley on the fatal night to find out where he was, but records show no such calls were made, Mr Latham added

The trial continues.