A father of two from Stevenage was battered to death with a giant flat screen TV set as part of a deliberate plan to take “brutal revenge” on him, it has been alleged today.

John Jamieson and Graham King, both 35 and from Stevenage, appeared in the dock this morning at Luton Crown Court on the first day of a trial for the alleged murder of 58-year-old Peter Shickle.

Mr Shickle’s body was found at his home in Silam Road on November 6 last year.

Martin Mulgrew prosecuting, told the court how the lead up to Mr Shickle’s death started on October 28 when he was out drinking with a woman called Christine Jamieson.

CCTV footage showed the pair getting into a fight outside the Old Post Office pub in Stevenage, pushing, shoving and grabbing at each other.

Mr Mulgrew argued Ms Jamieson’s son, John Jamieson, found out about the fight and vowed to take revenge on Mr Shickle.

Mr Mulgrew said: “On November 6 John Jamieson settled upon a plan to exact brutal retribution on Mr Shickle”.

He said Mr Jamieson recruited a friend - co defendant Graham King - to support him and be the “muscle” for his plan.

On November 6 the pair went to the Standing Order pub in Stevenage looking for him. They didn’t find him there so went to the Old Post Office pub where Mr Shickle was also known to drink.

They approached a bar maid and demanded to know where Mr Shickle was.

Mr Jamieson told her: “If you see him, tell him he’s a dead man.”

They left the pub and took out their anger at not finding Mr Shickle by punching and kicking a pub sign over.

CCTV cameras then picked them up looking for Mr Shickle at various points around Stevenage.

Mr Shickle, the court heard, lived alone and was in the habit of leaving his front door unlocked.

At 2pm two neighbours claim they saw Mr King and Mr Jamieson loitering outside his home.

A man who lived opposite told police he saw two men in the street with one pointing up at Mr Shickle’s window. He saw them enter his flat and then go into his front room. They were soon standing over Mr Shickle, who was sat on the sofa, waving their arms in an aggressive manner.

At about 3pm, Mr Mulgrew said. a friend went in through the unlocked door and found Mr Shickle’s body on the bed.

He had suffered injuries to his face and the back and side of his head, caused by a large flat screen TV set that he had been battered with. He also suffered injuries to his body, hands and legs and a fractured jaw and nose.

He sustained 12 broken ribs which Mr Mulgrew said was caused when he was lying on the floor and was being stamped on by his attackers.

The injuries led to internal bleeding including a bleed on the brain which caused Mr Shickle’s death.

Paramedics were on the scene quickly but could not revive him.

Mr King the court heard was later found asleep in a doorway by a friend, his tracksuit bottoms covered in blood.

Mr Jamieson later went back to the address in Silam Road and was seen by police officers who arrested him.

Mr King was arrested the following day.

A search of Mr Jamieson’s home led to the discovery of his trainers and sports top covered in blood.

Forensic investigations found the large TV set stained with Mr Shickle’s blood, a Nokia phone belonging to Mr King and a Stanley knife with Mr King’s DNA on it. A bronze statue was found with traces of both defendants’ DNA on it.

When interviewed by police, Mr Jamieson completely denied ever being at Mr Shickle’s house. He told police he and Mr King had spent the day drinking in Monks Wood together.

Mr Mulgrew said this claim was “a pack of lies”.

The case continues.