A pensioner was allegedly murdered in the street for his bag containing a box of cornflakes, cottage pie and a newspaper, a court has heard.
John Mackey, 87, was reportedly targeted by unemployed Peter Augustine after he visited a Co-op store in Manor House, north London, on May 6.
He was said to have been fatally kicked, punched and stamped on by the robber, 59, who made off with his bag, the Old Bailey heard.
Passersby allegedly saw Augustine attacking Mr Mackey and searching his jacket as he lay on the ground.
Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff KC said another member of the public alerted police after she heard a shout of ‘give me the bag’ and saw the pensioner lying inert on the pavement.
Mr Mackey, bleeding from his head, regained consciousness but was unable to tell officers what had happened, she said.
He was treated at Whittington Hospital for bleeding on the brain and broken ribs but died from his injuries two days later.
Ms Bickerstaff said police pieced together events using CCTV footage, although the attack itself was not caught on camera.
Pensioner John Mackey was allegedly murdered in the street for his bag containing a box of cornflakes, cottage pie and a newspaper bought from a Co-op in Manor House, pictured
He was apparently fatally kicked, punched and stamped on by Peter Augustine who made off with his bag (pictured: the site of the incident on Goodchild Road)
Mr Mackey had set off from his address shortly after 5pm wearing a distinctive trilby hat, grey mackintosh coat and carrying a walking stick and black bag.
At 5.12pm, he went into the Co-op on Green Lanes where he bought cornflakes, an own-brand cottage pie and a newspaper and placed the items in his bag.
His path allegedly crossed with Augustine 18 minutes later as he crossed the road and the defendant began to follow him.
Mr Mackey then went into nearby Manor Kebab at 5.36pm and bought sausage and chips while Augustine allegedly loitered outside.
The victim was last seen on camera at 5.50pm, reportedly walking back to his home address, and Augustine reappeared on CCTV three minutes later carrying what looked like the victim’s bag, jurors heard.
He entered Finsbury Park before going back to Beaconsfield Hotel where he was living at the time, the court heard.
A later search of the defendant’s room apparently uncovered what was left of Mr Mackey’s groceries and wrapping from the cottage pie, and sausage and chips, which had been eaten.
He told police: ‘What? I ain’t killed nobody mate.’
Ms Bickerstaff said: ‘A member of the public heard a male shout “Give me the bag”. She saw Mr Mackey lying on the pavement and a male standing over him.
Another witness spotted Mr Mackey on the floor being stamped and kicked on, while another said they saw punching and the attacker searching around his jacket area.
Two buttons from Mr Mackey’s coat were found nearby.
Following his arrest, Augustine said in a police interview that he saw Mr Mackey on the floor, tapped him lightly on his leg and said, ‘alright guv’.
He said he thought that Mr Mackey was drunk and walked off, taking with him a black bag he found on the road.
Augustine told officers: ‘The wind must have blew it on the side, so I picked it up and I looked inside (sic).’
He said it only contained a newspaper and claimed not to have noticed Mr Mackey before finding him on the ground.
But Ms Bickerstaff told jurors that Augustine had shouted from the dock that he was guilty at his first appearance at the Old Bailey in May.
Leftover police tape pictured at the scene. Passersby allegedly saw Augustine attacking Mr Mackey and searching his jacket as he lay on the ground
She said: ‘The defendant was told clearly that he was before the court for murder as well as robbery. The facts were outlined to the judge in the defendant’s presence.
‘And he shouted, as you heard him do in respect of other things today: “I don’t want bail, because I know what I did. I don’t want bail, I’m guilty.”
‘The prosecution says that is a clear confession.’
Ms Bickerstaff told jurors Mr Mackey was 5ft 5in tall and weighed less than nine stone.
She said: ‘He would have been largely unable to put up any resistance to the attack due to his age and infirmity.’
Ms Bickerstaff told jurors that Augustine was living in ‘reduced circumstances’ at the time of the attack and was effectively homeless.
She said he had used ‘extreme force’ after he targeted Mr Mackey.
Ms Bickerstaff told the court: ‘When the defendant kicked and punched an elderly, vulnerable and largely defenceless man, who was prone on the floor, the Crown says that he intended to cause him really serious harm.’
She added: ‘He lived alone but he didn’t need a carer, he was independent and supported and assisted when needed by family members.’
Augustine denies robbery and murder. The trial continues.
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