CCTV images of Farrow after killing vicar shown to jury

Stephen Farrow captured on CCTV on a bus after killing Rev John Suddards.

Casually reading a newspaper at the back of a bus Stephen Farrow appears to be just another passenger.

But, the prosecution contest, this is the image of a murderer, captured on the very on the day he stabbed a vicar to death in his own home.

These were among more than 20 pictures shown to the jury today. Others show him the previous day, strolling off a bus and along Thornbury High Street, entering a shopping centre with a rucksack over his shoulder and later leaving heading in the direction of the vicarage.

The 48-year-old defendant, who again exercised his right not to appear in court one, was later seen on camera in a supermarket in Weymouth.

That was on 14th February - Valentine's Day - the day the Rev John Suddards was found dead in his vicarage with an open Bible on his chest and a knife by his side. A parking ticket, made out to the 59-year-old victim, was also nearby.

Rev. John Suddards.

DS Chantelle Chamberlain said in examining the vicarage she could find no evidence of a forced entry although all rooms had been disturbed. "It looked as though someone had gone in to search it to burgle it" she said. Under cross-examination she revealed she found the word 'help' scrawled in blue ink on one of the walls. "It looked as if it had been written with a finger" she told the court.

Forensic scientist Claire Morse said a blood-stained knife was among items seized at an address in Folkstone in Kent, when the suspect was arrested. DNA tests revealed the blood matched that of the Rev Suddards.

His blood was also found on the lower left leg of Stephen Farrow's overtrousers, the cuff of the right sleeve of his waterproof jacket and on his left boot which had been partially painted with brown paint or varnish.

The chance of any discrepancy in the DNA testing was put at one in a billion.

Stephen Farrow also denies the murder of 77-year-old Betty Yates at her remote Worcestershire home in January.

The case continues on Monday.

You can watch the latest report from Richard Payne here: