Stepson and friend 'hired hitman to kill stepfather so he could inherit £200,000'

Flash Ashley Day was furious when John Sales inherited his mother’s house in Hythe Hill, Colchester, it is claimed.

Prosecutors say when faced with the possibility of losing his inheritance, he conspired to murder Mr Sales.

Scott Moffat, 49, of Colchester Road, Manningtree, faces the same charge after allegedly arranging Ryan Hynes to carrying out the killing, on behalf of his friend, and arranging for Ryan Hynes to do it.

A third person, a teenage girl from Colchester, is also accused of conspiracy to murder but all three deny the charge.

The teenager has admitted perverting the course of justice after providing Hynes with a false alibi.

Hynes has already admitted a charge of attempted murder.

Brian Reece, prosecuting, told the court Day, 45, who changed his first name by deed poll to Flash and lives in Rose Allen Avenue, Colchester, had previously lived at the Hythe Hill home.

He had grown up there with his mother Josephine and brother Paul.

In 1995, Josephine married Mr Sales before she died without leaving a will in 2009.

Mr Sales inherited the house but made a will and left 40 per cent to each of her sons and, after Paul died in 2014, Day was looking at inheriting 80 per cent of the £240,000 valued property.

However the court heard Mr Sales had met a woman and was planning to move to Mersea Island.

The Hythe Hill home was put on the market and it was at this point the prosecution claim Day and Moffat “hatched a plan” and Hynes “was to be the killer”.

Mr Reece said: “It was not a robbery that went wrong, nothing was taken, his wallet and the keys to his Jaguar were left behind.

“This was a carefully planned crime.

“John Sales did not know Ryan Hynes.

“He had no reason to kill him until other people provided him with the reason.”

The teenager is accused of the same crime, but as part of a conspiracy with Hynes after allegedly helping him before and after the stabbing.

Mr Sales suffered several wounds when Hynes attacked him on November 10 last year.

He was in a coma for six weeks but survived.

The trial continues.

• A MILITARY fanatic attempted to murder a pensioner with a 10ins “Rambo” knife bought at a specialist festival.

Ryan Hynes, 21, old John Sales, 70, repeatedly to the neck, face, chest and back during two attacks, a court heard.

Hynes, of Long Road, Lawford, has admitted one count of attempted murder and is awaiting sentence.

At about 5.40pm on November 10 last year, Hynes went to Mr Sales’ home on Hythe Hill, Colchester.

Brian Reece, prosecuting, said: “In early evening darkness, a young man, attacked John Sales leaving him with extremely serious life threatening knife wounds.

“He tried to kill John Sales but he failed.

“Mr Sales survived thanks to the prompt assistance of emergency services and specialist medical care, first at Colchester then Addenbrooke’s.

“He needed emergency surgery and had to be placed in an induced coma.”

When he woke he told police, over the course of five interviews, what Hynes had done to him.

The court heard Mr Sales was getting ready to leave to play bowls on Mersea Island when he heard someone in his garden.

Mr Reece told the court the television was still on when Mr Sales went out and was told a ball had gone in the garden.

At that point Hynes attacked him. The court heard Mr Sales thought he had been “punched and kicked”.

Mr Reece said: “There was a significant break then the man came back and delivered blows to him.”

He was actually being stabbed but managed to get to the phone to call the emergency services while Hynes fled.

The court also heard Hynes wanted to join the army.

Mr Reece said: “Hynes had an obsession with military matters.He dressed in camouflage clothing.

“He went to military fairs and got involved in re-enactments.”

Hynes bought the knife at one of these events, described as a “Rambo style hunting knife”, used to try and kill Mr Sales.