James Allen is accused of murdering Colin Dunford, 81, in Middlesbrough, and Julie Davison, 50, in Whitby, last April. He denies the charges.
A man accused of two murders has refused to attend court to hear the evidence against him. James Allen denies killing and robbing Colin Dunford in Middlesbrough and Julie Davison in Whitby last April.
Today a waitress told the jury that she had seen what she thought was blood on his sleeve whilst she was serving him in the days between the murders.
The double murder suspect was removed from the dock for disrupting his trial in Newcastle today.
James Allen was sent to the cells by the judge for interrupting the questioning of a witness.
The drama followed angry exchanges between his defence team and another witness earlier in the day.
A double murder suspect has been removed from the dock for disrupting his trial. James Allen was sent to the cells by the judge for interrupting the questioning of a witness.
He's accused of murdering a pensioner in Middlesbrough and a woman in Whitby last April. The drama followed angry exchanges between his defence team and another witness earlier in the day.
The trial of James Allen, accused of murdering a Middlesborough pensioner and a woman from Whitby, is continuing in Newcastle.
You can watch Ben Chapman's report from this lunchtime below.
The court heard that James Allen told a friend that he was dying of cancer on the night of one of the murders.
A friend of James Allen said that he took pity on him, and offered him somewhere to stay the night.
Allen is accused of murdering a pensioner in Middlesbrough last April, as well as a woman in Whitby.
The trial continues.
Close friends of a murdered pensioner have described in court the moment they found his battered body. Colin Dunford, 81, was killed in his home in Middlesbrough last spring.
James Allen is accused of murdering and robbing him, as well as a woman in Whitby three days later. A jury's been told he stabbed her more than 30 times.
A man has told a court of the moment he found the battered body of his best friend in the victim's home.
Colin Dunford, 81, was killed in Middlesbrough last April 2012. James Allen, 36, is on trial for the killing.
The trial at Newcastle Crown Court continues.
The trial of James Allen, the man accused of murdering a Teesside pensioner and a woman from Whitby last April, has started in Newcastle.
Allen has pleaded not guilty to killing Colin Dunford and Julie Davison, and the trial continues.
Newcastle Crown Court was told Colin Dunford, 81, and Julie Davison, 50, were both found dead in their homes with serious injuries.
The prosecution say they were murdered by James Allen in their own homes and that Allen told "significant lies" while in custody,
The court heard friends of Mr Dunford became worried for him when he didn't turn up at this club for two nights.
The prosecution say Allen was caught on CCTV repeatedly checking his account balance on the night of Julie Davison was robbed and killed.
Double murder suspect James Allen is due to go on trial today in Newcastle. The 37 year old from Middlesbrough denies killing a Teesside pensioner and a woman from Whitby last April. The trial at Newcastle Crown Court is expected to last four weeks.