A wealthy pensioner died after being struck over the head at least 12 times with a heavy weapon, a jury heard.

Robert Saint, 70, suffered a fractured skull from the repeated blows.

David MacBride, 44, a train guard of Bramber Close, Bognor, has denied murdering the retired businessman.

A jury at Lewes Crown Court has heard how the two men met when MacBride wanted to buy Mr Saint's luxury motor cruiser in September last year.

The prosecution allege MacBride battered the widower to death and threw his body overboard after becoming obsessed with having the 42ft vessel, called The Sundowner.

Mr Saint, known as Captain Bob, of Horsham Road, Steyning, went missing after arranging to meet Macbride at Birdham Pool Marina, near Chichester, to finalise the sale of his boat for £119,000. His body was discovered washed up on a beach on the Isle of Wight two weeks later. He was dressed in just his boxer shorts and socks and had two Tesco supermarket carrier bags tied around his head.

Forensic pathologist Dr Alan Anscombe, who performed an autopsy, told the jury Mr Saint had a series of at least 12 lacerations around his head. There were multiple fractures of his skull and also broken bones in one of his hands.

Dr Anscombe concluded Mr Saint died of multiple head injuries. He said he could not specify the exact nature of the weapon used but said one of the wounds was typical of a hammer blow.

The broken bones in his hand were probably caused when Mr Saint tried to protect himself during the attack.

He told the court he did not believe the injuries could have been caused accidentally, for example as a result of a fall in the engine room of the boat, which he had visited.

During his cross-examination Jonathan Fuller, defending, asked Dr Anscombe again to consider if the injuries could have been accidental.

Dr Anscombe replied: "It depends how many times you are falling against things."

He said the hand injury could have been caused by someone treading on the hand but he expected it would have to have been stamped on with the hard edge of the heel of a shoe to cause the extent of the injuries.

The jury has heard how MacBride, a father of four, told police he had handed over £119,000 in cash to pay for the boat, which was a birthday present for his wife.

He told detectives he had found the money four months earlier on a train while he was working.

The trial continues.