Convicted murderer ‘killed neighbour after second gay advance’
A convicted murderer has told a court he killed his neighbour, claiming he became ‘very, very angry’ after the man made a sexual advance.
David Cook, 65, of Tan-y-Bryn, Rhymney, told Newport Crown Court he had explained to his neighbour that he was not gay and that, following the sexual advance, he killed him in a “controlled rage”, the Western Mail reports.
Having been released on licence from a life sentence for the murder of a female Sunday school teacher, Mr Cook had taken up residence next door to Leonard Hill, 64.
He said Mr Hill “touched [his] bum” during a visit to Mr Hill’s house in mid 2011. Mr Cook said he left the town for Cardiff for a few days as a result.
Returning to his home, he said Mr Hill visited him to apologise. Mr Cook said he told his neighbour: “I am not gay and never have been. I may be 65 but I like women.”
But, Mr Cook told the court: “He sort of smiled at me and then grabbed my testicles. It was like a cupping movement with his hands. It was quite an aggressive movement.
“The rage came and that was it. I remember punching him with my fist on his jaw and he went down and got back up again.”
Mr Cook detailed the rest of the killing, saying he had been “very, very angry” by the second advance.
The Western Mail reports that he then stole £40, several dozen DVDs and video tapes, a watch, cheese and bread from Mr Hill’s home.
Mr Cook denied murder but admitted killing his neighbour.
He told the court: “I do now feel remorse, yes. Thinking back, I think: ‘Well he was not such a bad bloke actually’. He did what he did to me but I should not have done what I did to him.”
The prosecuting QC said Mr Cook had a history of using violence and stealing money and alleged that Mr Hill had never made a sexual advance against Mr Cook. The trial continues.
