THE neighbour of a man accused of murdering a rough sleeper claims he was visited by a co-defendant several times in the weeks before they allegedly killed him.

Martin Dines, 56, died in St Mary’s Car Park in Balkerne Hill, Colchester, in April.

Heidi Kennedy, 47, Darren Miller, 46, and Mark Hartley, 32, are jointly charged with his murder.

It is alleged Mr Dines was attacked in Head Street, Crouch Street and in the car park by the group.

The trio were arrested in Hartley’s flat in New Kiln Road, Colchester, on the same day Mr Dines was found.

When she gave evidence at Ipswich Crown Court, Kennedy claimed she had only met her co-defendants the same day Mr Dines died and had never visited Hartley’s flat before they went back there.

But Megan Thomas – who lives directly below Hartley – had been keeping a noise log because of disruptive behaviour which had been coming from his flat.

She told the court she saw the group being arrested and that she thought Kennedy had been there before.

“I had seen her standing on the stairs next to Mark Hartley while they were in conversation with my neighbour,” she said.

“I saw her from the shoulder down and I am confident it was the same person.

“I also saw her before leaving the block of flats walking away through my kitchen window.”

Miss Thomas said she had also heard the woman’s voice several times, and believed it was the same person she had heard on the day of the arrests.

She said: “It had a similar intonation.

“The laughter was pretty much identical to what I had previously heard.”

Graham Parkins QC, representing Kennedy, suggested Miss Thomas was mistaken having only previously seen her from behind and when her face was obscured.

He also asked her to explain why there was discrepancies between her handwritten log sent back to Colchester Council and a typed version she had kept for herself.

She said: “I didn’t think I would be here giving evidence.”

Miss Thomas came forward to the police last week after reading media coverage of the case.

She said on the night of the arrests an officer told her she should give a statement during their door to door enquiries but she was never approached.

Kennedy, of Queen Elizabeth Way, Colchester, Miller, of no fixed address, and Hartley all deny murder.

But Miller has admitted to Mr Dines’ manslaughter while Kennedy has admitted assaulting Lisa Peck, a friend of Mr Dines, on the same night.

The trial continues.