'Dognapper', 39, 'strangled homeowner to death and left him to rot at the bottom of the stairs before stealing Labradoodle'

A 'DOGNAPPER' strangled a homeowner and then left him to rot at the bottom of the stairs before stealing his labradoodle, a court has heard.

Ian Connell, 39, is charged with breaking into Donald Patience's house and murder the 45-year-old sometime from August 19 last year.

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Police found Mr Patience's body under a duvet cover at the bottom of the stairs of the Radcliffe house nearby Manchester on August 22.

They had climbed to the end terrace house after a postal worker saw a male figure climbing through the rear window.

The postman also heard a sound as if someone was trying to force entry through the window.

The same man is said to have emerged from the garden with a “medium-sized, fluffy” white dog ahead, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Bolton man Ian Connell denies murder of Mr Patience – whom he said he loved “like a brother”.

He has also pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of manslaughter.

Opening the prosecution case today, Michael Hayton QC said Patience was likely “strangled to death” after an argument money.

Hayton told jurors: “Donald Patience was a man who had access to money.

“He worked before, had companiesand had family money from real estate.

'It is true that because of his access to money, there were people who wanted to take advantage of his good character and borrow money from him.

“Maybe some of those loans would be paid with interest, but the Crown says his financial position is important.

'The Crown says this is in all likelihood the reason he was found dead and decomposed at the foot of his own stairs by a Police officer following a report of a burglary in the building.

'The only possible explanation for Mr. Patience's dead is that pressure was applied to his neck until he was dead.

“He was strangled.

'The most likely explanation is that it followed an argument about money.

“Mr Patience's access to money and perhaps his good nature led others to take advantage of him, take advantage of his generosity and take advantage of his access to money.

Hayton added: “According to the Crown, Ian Connell was one such person who sought to take advantage in this way.

'Money was central to many of the communications between the two men leading up to Patience's death.

“The Crown does not have to prove a motive, but we say a reasonable inference from the evidence is that money was part of what happened on Ashworth Road last year.”

The process continues.

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