Man killed for milkshake money

A Lincolnshire man was murdered for £7 by a robber who used the money buy his girlfriend a milkshake, a jury has heard.

Paul Dean, 22, of Grimbsy broke off from a late night stroll with his girlfriend to bash James Donson, 20, on the head with a piece of wood, Hull Crown Court was told.

He then re-joined his girlfriend to buy a banana and a chocolate milkshake before going home to his parents, the prosecution said.

Mr Donson, of Tetney, near Grimsby died as a result of a burst artery in his head on 22 June 2001, after he had gone home to sleep off the attack.

Burst artery

Mr Dean was out with a former girlfriend when James Donson was attacked near a telephone box in Grimsby.

He allegedly confessed to his girlfriend when confronted with Humberside Police street posters wanting information weeks after the attack.

Mr Dean denies a charge of robbery and murder.

Jeremy Baker, prosecuting, told the court James Donson was attacked after he left a party to telephone his parents asking them to pick him up from Grimsby and drive him home.

Piece of wood

He said Mr Donson never made it to the telephone box.

He was challenged by a man who noticed he was unsteady on his feet and told his girlfriend: "Just wait there five minutes."

Mr Baker said Mr Donson was later to tell his brother that he had got on with his attacker and had shaken his hand after being told: "You took it like a man."

Mr Baker said a CCTV camera had captured Donson and Dean together near the telephone box around the time of the late night attack.

He said Mr Donson made it to the telephone box to tell his parents to come and collect him after he "had just been jumped by a guy with a piece of wood."

The trial continues.