An alleged hit man told a court phone records revealed he was nowhere near the scene of a man's death.

David Croke, who marks his 60th birthday today, is accused with Robert Knapp, 53, of carrying out the contract killing of Brighton landlord Mohammed Raja.

Prosecutors allege the pair were paid by millionaire tycoon Nicholas Hoogstraten to assassinate Mr Raja after he accused Hoogstraten of fraud.

On July 2, 1999, Mr Raja was shot and stabbed to death in Sutton, Surrey, by two men dressed as gardeners wearing hats.

Croke, of Bolney Road, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, said he was at his son Jim's house in north London that day.

Croke said he was living with ex-wife Rita at Johnby Close, Enfield, at the time. He said phone records revealed two calls were made from there to his son's mobile that day.

Croke said: "I had gone round to Jimmy's to do some painting.

"I was not feeling too well and with the smell of the paint I decided to go home.

"The early call at 10.27am was when I rang up to say there was wet paint on one of the doors. In the afternoon I rang to ask if I could borrow his strimmer because I was going to Clacton that day or the following morning."

Croke told the court he had a caravan in Clacton and once during the summer of 1999 took Knapp to the town to buy a car. However, he said that was not July 2.

The jury has heard Croke's cash card was used to withdraw £200 from a cashpoint machine in Crayford, Kent, on the afternoon of the murder.

The Crown claims Croke and Knapp drove from Sutton to Crayford and then went with Knapp's friend, Doreen Tong, to buy drugs.

But Croke told the court he had lent his card to Knapp and did not get it back until the following evening.

Croke said at the time he often lent Knapp money but he lost touch when Knapp moved to Ireland in 2000.

The jury was later shown a fishing hat which was found in Clacton with a number of Croke's clothes.

Croke said he had never worn the hat but his step-great-grand-daughter had used it.

Hoogstraten, of High Cross Estate, Framfield, denies murder and conspiracy to murder. Croke and Knapp both deny murder.

The trial continues.