A BLOOD-STAINED vodka bottle, cricket bat and bread knife were found at the home of an alleged murder victim after an altercation with neighbours a week before his death, a court has heard.
Jurors at the trial of Eddie Belson at Bristol Crown Court heard on Friday how neighbour Christopher Cooling had turned up at the defendant's home and hurled abuse at his partner before being arrested.
Belson, 36, is accused of killing Mr Cooling on August 3 after a long-standing feud between the pair boiled over.
The labourer claims he was defending himself and his family from the former soldier who allegedly attacked him with a bottle outside his home in Berry Hill.
Mr Cooling, 44, suffered a number of injuries and died later in hospital from a ruptured spleen after Belson hit him with a hockey stick.
On Friday the court heard how Mr Cooling had come to the house holding a cricket bat and a bottle of vodka a week before and asking Belson's partner Lucy Williams, daughters where the pair were.
Prosecutor Michael Mather-Lees QC described how, after he walked away, he could be seen swinging the bat around, hitting the floor and a street lamp with it.
The jury heard Ms Williams had initially called the non-emergency 101 number but then called 999 when he returned and "hurled abuse" through the door at her.
Recordings of the two calls were played to the court.
On them she said to the police operator: "He looks a bit threatening. I am a bit worried, his music is on really loud. He's banging the cricket bat on the floor and on a street lamp. It looks like he's drinking. I do not feel very safe on my own."
PC Andy Brewster was first at the scene in Aston Close and on arrival had to split up Mr Cooling and a friend of Ms Williams as they were shouting and arguing, the court heard.
PC Brewster described to the jurors how Mr Cooling was "clearly under the influence of drugs or alcohol" and was "shouting incoherently".
Following him to his home further down the street, the policeman noticed blood on his hands and forearm, the court heard.
"He was shouting incoherently and talking over me and not hearing what I was saying," he said.
"He was punching his own front door."
The court was told that he was arrested and charged with criminal damage and a search of his home found a cricket bat, a blood-stained vodka bottle and a bread knife by the staircase.
A toxicology report on Mr Cooling, who jurors were told used heroin "intermittently", revealed he had 140 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of his blood.
A number of drugs were also found, including Methadone, Diazepam and prescription drugs.
Belson was found to have 170 micrograms of alcohol in his bloodstream, twice over the legal driving limit, but no evidence of drug use was found.
The prosecution's case has now concluded with the defence's case to start on Monday.
