CODED messages were sent between those plotting to kill a carer in the hours before his death, a court heard.

A series of texts between Rebecca Ryan and Scott Swift were read to the jury during the trial following the murder of Michael Beckwith, Ryan’s former lover.

Ryan, Swift and Joseph Smith are accused of murder. Ryan, and two others, are also accused of trying to cover up the crime.

Mr Beckwith, 44, of Goodlake Close, Dovercourt, suffered 17 blows to his head from multiple weapons, including metal bars, and many more to his body, in Barrack Lane, Dovercourt, on July 31 last year.

He died 36 hours later, on August 2.

Amjad Malik QC, prosecuting, told the court Ryan and Swift, who were also former lovers, replaced the word Michael with “cat” in messages as she planned to lure him to his death, with Swift and sidekick Smith waiting to attack him.

Mr Malik said: “It was Ryan who wanted to go to Barrack Lane.

“Michael noticed she was texting. Once there she told him to drive up this track. He had reservations but he drove.

“They got out of the car and walked up. Ryan said ‘Oh it’s a dead end’. Well it was going to be for him.”

Mr Beckwith was interviewed by police at hospital, before he collapsed, and was able to give some details of what happened.

Mr Malik told the court he saw “two dark figures covering their faces so he could only see their noses and eyes”.

“He said: ‘I don’t want any trouble’.

“Both were holding what he thought were extendable metal bars.

“They shrugged their shoulders in response and then brought their attack on him.”

Mr Malik QC also told the jury about a couple who he claimed spotted Ryan near the other end of the lane shortly after.

He said: “She had travelled down and sought no help from a householder. She was not making any sound, not screaming.

“She was holding a mobile phone. She held it close to her thigh.

“The prosecution say she was waiting for a message or something else telling her all was OK.

“Now it was safe for her to call the police.”

It is alleged the plan was for her to pretend they had been attacked by two unknown men after Swift and Smith made their getaway.

Mr Malik said: “She did not make contact with the couple.

“She did not look at them, she put the phone in her pocket.”

The couple also then saw a man running away from the lane.

Later Ryan told police she and Michael Beckwith had been attacked.

  •  The trial continues.

TWO men were caught on CCTV cameras shortly before and after a bloody murder, wearing different clothes, a court heard.

Scott Swift and Joseph Smith were spotted on cameras around Harwich according to prosecutor Amjad Malik QC.

He claimed they had changed to hide the bloodstains with a married couple, the Biddlecombes, charged with assisting offenders by allegedly trying to dispose of the evidence by washing and burning clothes worn by Swift and Smith.

Speaking at Chelmsford Crown Court, Mr Malik claimed the three people charged with murder were caught in their lies by the cameras, text and phone calls between them and by a couple who came across Rebecca Ryan shortly after the attack the three of them are alleged to have planned.

Ryan called 999 to tell police about the attack.

Mr Malik QC said: “She needed to pretend to the police she was an innocent bystander.

“She was going to say she had intervened to help and she received a punch to her cheek when she was trying to protect him.

“That was a lie.”

The first to the scene, other than those allegedly responsible for the attack were Phillip and Jillian Marven.

Mr Malik QC said: “They saw Mr Beckwith lying face down.

“He was groaning. He was not really moving.

“There was blood all over his bald head, blood all over the car.”