Murder accused left body parts in park - court

A man killed a 20-year-old and dumped his body parts in a park, a court has heard.

Dajour Jones, 27, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of murdering Jamie Gilbey, whose remains were found in undergrowth off Cantley Gardens in South Norwood Lake and Grounds after he was last seen alive on 27 January 2022.

Prosecuting, Simon Denison KC said Mr Jones had carried out a "sustained, vicious murder on a defenceless Jamie Gilbey". The prosecution said blunt-force injuries to his head and body were indicative of a sustained attack with two implements.

Mr Jones, who denies murder, has said he was acting in self-defence after Mr Gilbey confronted him with a knife and stole his phone.

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Mr Denison said Mr Gilbey was last seen alive going into Mr Jones's room at the Fitze Millennium Centre, a housing facility for homeless people where they both lived.

His defence argued Mr Jones did not dismember Mr Gilbey's body, but took it away from the hostel in one trip and handed it to others to dispose of.

The prosecution said Mr Jones acquired a large suitcase on 28 January that he took back to his room and made three trips with over the next few days.

Mr Denison said Mr Jones had "calmly disposed of the body in the suitcase that he acquired for that purpose" and carried out a "remarkably thorough" clean-up operation in his room.

The prosecutor added: "It really is a murder in cold blood."

The jurors were told that the three trips included two visits to Cantley Gardens, where Mr Jones disposed of Mr Gilbey's body.

And a third trip was made to Love Lane Green in South Norwood, where clothing and bedding "heavily stained with blood" were disposed of, the prosecution said.

Mr Gilbey's body was found by police in undergrowth on 8 March 2022.

Mr Denison described him as a "very vulnerable, physically unimposing 20-year-old man who above all wanted to have friends".

He added that Mr Gilbey was an "innocent victim of a highly dangerous man", and had been "incapable of presenting any physical threat to the defendant".

Mr Denison told the jury that Mr Jones was a man who had a "history of violent offending and causing serious injury to others".

The trial continues.

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