Pensioner was tied to a chair and left to die in his home by callous burglar, court hears

Tragically 78-year-old David Varlow had phoned the police about the first time Adris Mohammed had allegedly tried to break into his home, a week before the burglar allegedly returned and killed him.

The trial into the murder of Mr Varlow, who police found dead in the living room of his Manor Lane home in November last year, began at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday.

In the dock is Adris Mohammed, aged 44, from Icknield Port Road, who is charged with attempted burglary at Mr Varlow’s home on October 24, aggravated burglary on November 3, murder and fraud. He’s also charged with a further burglary on November 12.

Mohammed was wearing a dark blue jumper and spoke to confirm his name. He denies the charges.

O'Shay Swan, 42, of Winson Green Road, Birmingham, is accused of burgling Mr Varlow's home between November 10 and 13 and accused of fraud. Wearing a black sweatshirt Swan denied the charges.

Opening the case for the prosecution Peter Grieves-Smith told the jury the Halesowen pensioner was the perfect victim for Mr Mohammed as he lived alone, did not drive and did not leave the house very often.

Showing the jury a picture of Mr Varlow and then pictures of the house in Halesowen, Mr Grieves-Smith outlined the prosecution's case.

He said: "I will tell you about where he lived and what happened to him. He lived on his own. When he died he was 78.

"The prosecution case is that Mohammed decided that Varlow was a good person to burgle.

"His aim was to steal what he could but he was unsuccessful. Mohammed got away."

Mr Grieves-Smith told the jury they would not see pictures of Mr Varlow dead and tied to a chair.

"You will not be looking at images of Mr Varlow. That is where he was found on the ground in the living room of his house.

"There is the picture showing a chair with flex around it which was used to tie Mr Varlow to the chair."

Mr Varlow had £10,000 in a bank account which Mr Mohammed allegedly wanted to empty.

Mohammed, this time with Swan, allegedly returned to the house a week later and Mr Varlow had died in the meantime.

Mr Grieves-Smith said: "On this occasion they stole a bank card that had expired. Mohammed would have felt confident when he returned he would not be in a position to recognise him because he would be dead.

"Mr Varlow died because Mohammed tied him up. His body was found there a few days later when police forced entry."

The trial is expected to last three weeks.