Pensioner murdered in botched burglary

A pensioner was murdered and a thief burned to death in a botched burglary in Dorset, a court has heard.

Humphrey Riggs, 66, was beaten to death with a metal statue and coffee table leg at his home in Bournemouth by Stephen Milne on 6 December.

Then in an attempt to destroy the evidence the property was set alight, but the plan backfired - Jamie Kelly, Milne's accomplice, became trapped and died in the burning house.

Milne, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court to the murder of Mr Riggs and the case was adjourned until early January for sentencing.

Clubbed to death

Judge Michael Brodrick warned Milne that he faced a mandatory life sentence.

Guy Boney QC, prosecuting, said Milne used a metal statue, a leg wrenched off a coffee table and his fists to beat Mr Riggs to death.

Mr Boney said Mr Riggs died of his injuries before the fire started.

Describing the attack Mr Boney said: "He punched him a number of times, clubbed him over the head with various items including a table leg he had wrenched off a coffee table.

Heroin addict

"He died of the injuries inflicted.

"Before he did this Mr Riggs was tied up with his hands behind his back and left lying face down on the floor while the defendant set about stealing property from the house."

Mr Boney told the court Milne then talked to several people about what he had done and, through a friend, met Kelly who offered to set light the house.

Mr Boney said when the two men returned to the house, in Wolverton Road they had a disagreement because Kelly wanted to steal some of the valuable antiques in the house but Milne just wanted to leave.

The court heard Milne was a heroin addict and with £80 in cash stolen from Mr Riggs he used £60 to pay off debts accumulated from his £50-a-day heroin and crack habit.