A drifter accused of killing a Newton Abbot Good Samaritan who gave him shelter has declined to give evidence at his murder trial.

Stuart Hodgkin remained silent in the dock as his barrister Mr Paul Dunkels, QC, told Exeter Crown Court that his client would not be giving evidence.

Hodgkin is on trial accused of murdering ’gentle giant’ Adrian Munday, aged 51, at his home in Wain Lane, last October.

Mr Munday suffered from learning difficulties and suspected schizophrenia and had only started living independently for the first time in his life four months before his death.

Hodgkin, originally from Basingstoke, was a homeless drifter who had been living rough in a tent on Newton Abbot racecourse before he met Mr Munday by chance on a train in September last year.

The prosecution allege he took advantage of Mr Munday’s vulnerability after he let him stay the night and took control of his life and finances.

The jury have been told he spent all Mr Munday’s savings, sold some of his property to buy drugs, and persuaded him to borrow £200 from his mother.

The Crown say Hodgkin killed Mr Munday after the money ran out, hitting him so hard about the head he brain was displaced and breaking 20 ribs by kicking or stamping on his chest.

He is then alleged to have started a fire on top of the body using two cans of Zippo lighter fluid and fled the scene of the crime in the middle of the night before fleeing back to Basingstoke.

Mr Munday’s body was not found for two days after the killing and police only started a murder inquiry a few days later when the post mortem examination results arrived.

Hodgkin, who had stayed with friends in Basingstoke, was arrested while sofa surfing in Stockbridge Road, Winchester.

His barrister Mr Dunkels confirmed to Judge Graham Cottle that Hodgkin had been advised that the jury may draw an adverse inference from his failure to give evidence.