‘Your story has more holes than a string vest’

On Thursday, the jury heard that the boy, who was aged 17 at the time, insisted to police that he found the body of 67-year-old David Cowley of Laythorpe Gardens, who he is accused of killing.

The accused repeatedly said during interviews that he discovered Mr Cowley on a Sunday afternoon in November, although the pensioner was still alive at the time.

DC James Wilson, who interviewed the boy at Lincoln Police Station, said the youngster was told that it was impossible for him to have seen Mr Cowley’s dead body when he claimed.

But the boy responded “It’s not.”

It was suggested to the boy: “Your story has more holes in it than a string vest.”

The boy replied: “I haven’t lied. I haven’t. When I’m telling the truth nobody believes me.”

DC Wilson added: “He repeatedly claimed the body was there on the Sunday and he hadn’t killed him.”

The jury of seven men and five women has heard that Mr Cowley was killed on a Tuesday after meeting up with the teenager following an exchange of text messages.

During a series of 17 interviews carried out by police over three days, the teenager denied the dead man asked him to perform sexual services.

The boy said: “I’m not going to do something with someone that’s like a granddad.

“I’m not going to murder anyone either because that’s someone’s granddad as well.

“It’s someone’s dad. I wouldn’t take his life.

“There’s loads of things I would do in this world. I would thieve, I would do anything but when it comes down to murder it’s not in my blood to do it.

“I wouldn’t even try to murder anyone. I wouldn’t even think about it.”

When the boy was subsequently charged with Mr Cowley’s murder, he replied: “I didn’t do it.”

A second teenager, who is alleged to have disposed of the dead man’s mobile phone, was arrested after the youth accused of murder claimed he was involved.

The jury heard that when the second boy was arrested outside his home in Sleaford he replied: “I don’t know what this is all about.”

The boy told police he did not know Mr Cowley and had never met him.

The teenager accused of murder is alleged to have asphyxiated Mr Cowley after the pair met up in Sleaford on Tuesday, November 16 for a sexual liaison.

The jury has been told that Mr Cowley drove the teenager to Ballasts Pits off Mareham Lane, Sleaford.

The teenager is then alleged to have murdered Mr Cowley before taking his car and other belongings including a ring, money and a mobile phone.

The boy denies the murder of David Cowley between November 15 and 18 2010.

The jury has been told he admits manslaughter.

A second 17-year-old denies perverting the course of justice by disposing of Mr Cowley’s mobile phone and making a series of misleading statements to police between November 15 and 21.

The second boy has admitted handling the stolen mobile phone.

The name of the 18-year-old cannot be published due to an order made under the Contempt of Court Act.

The trial continues.