South Shields murder accused 'agreed to take fall for burglary for alleged victim', court told

Stanley Elliott, 53, originally from South Shields, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of murdering 61-year-old Geoffrey Hibbert and his wife Michelle, 29.

He was asked by the couple to look after their young son while they went for a night out in Reading, Berkshire, on June 19 2021, jurors were told.

The prosecution claim he killed them in the early hours – while their son was asleep in his room – after they returned home to Buckland Avenue, Basingstoke, Hampshire.

Police later found binned court papers saying Mr Hibbert had lent his phone to Elliott at the time of the burglary, the trial heard.

Sarah Jones QC, prosecuting, said this could have been a motive for the murders.

Elliott told the court he had carried out the burglary with Mr Hibbert at the Buzz Bingo hall in Basingstoke in January 2020.

He said Mr Hibbert had given him £4,000 as his share from the £28,000 stolen in the raid, a sum he described as a "good little score".

He said he was happy with the split because Mr Hibbert had "done all the work and planned it all".

Elliott said he also agreed to take the blame for the burglary because Mr Hibbert was frightened of his son being taken into care if he went to prison.

He said he would say Mr Hibbert had lent him his phone, which was found in a roof-space at the bingo hall after the burglary.

He said: "Geoff had Michelle signed off as an unfit mother; he would have lost him to the social services if he had gone to jail."

Elliott also told jurors he suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2007 while living in Honiton, Devon, with his partner and two children.

He said the bleed left him with short-term memory loss and epileptic fits which ended his career as a construction supervisor.

The defendant, who is supported in court by an intermediary, said his condition caused him to exhibit "frequent outbursts of aggression" and to be "abusive".

He said this led to police cautions for assaults he could not remember committing because of his cognitive woes.

Elliott said that after his relationship broke down, he moved to Basingstoke, initially to live with his brother, before moving into his own flat.

He denies two charges of murder and the trial continues.

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