A PROSECUTION witness has strongly denied he had anything to do with the death of a coin collector.

Gordon McGhee, 52, was found dead in his flat in Forest Road, Colchester, in August last year having been stabbed and the gas from his cooker turned on to in an apparent bid to cause an explosion.

Danny Bostock, 33, has been charged with his murder and it is alleged he wanted to steal Mr McGhee’s prized coins - including limited edition Beatrix Potter 50ps.

But Alison Levitt, representing Bostock, suggested at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday it was Daniel Welham who had killed Mr McGhee.

Mr Welham - who has never been arrested or charged and is not on trial - had been at the flats in the hours before Mr McGhee died and was friends with his neighbour Melissa Mcgrory.

Bostock arrived later and a row broke out between him and Mr Welham over coins which had gone missing from Miss Mcgrory’s flat.

The pair, who have known each other since school, were also in dispute about Mr Welham not wanting to be godfather to Bostock’s unborn child.

The row escalated so far Mr McGhee asked Mr Welham to leave but Miss Mcgrory said he could stay.

The argument continued which led to Miss Mcgrory self-harming in a bid to make them stop. Bostock then cut himself before Mr Welham called them both crazy and stormed off home.

Miss Levitt suggested Mr Welham left the flats angry at Mr McGhee for asking him to leave and was using Miss Mcgrory as a “meal ticket” and was using her.

She also suggested he put on Bostock’s shoes before returning to Mr McGhee’s flat - prints of which were found in the blood on the floor.

She said Mr Welham’s suggestion his fingerprints were in Mr McGhee’s bedroom because he had borrowed DVDs earlier in the day was made up.

When asked directly whether he had anything to do with Mr McGhee’s death at court yesterday by Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, he said: “I had nothing to do with it - nothing to do with it whatsoever. I did not do that.”

Bostock, of Berberis Walk, denies murder and attempted arson.

n The trial continues.