CENTRAL Village resident Steve Dawkins on Wednesday admitted to stealing mangoes from the yard of a 67-year-old man but denied allegations that he had bound, gagged and killed the homeowner, whose bloodied and naked body was found inside his Kingston 19 home.

Dawkins, a 34-year-old labourer of St Catherine, was on Wednesday denied bail when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court for the August 5 murder of Kirk Avenue resident Derrick Lord.

On the day in question, the court was told, the police were summoned to the premises by residents who claimed to have heard cries of help coming from Lord’s home. It is being alleged that upon their speedy arrival, the police saw the suspect running through Lord’s back door with a bag over his shoulder and blood on his shirt and hands.

Dawkins was subsequently arrested and charged.

On Wednesday, Dawkins’ attorney, Leroy Equiano, denied the allegations, noting that his client went to the house to pick mangoes and that while in the tree, he heard cries of help and saw a man running from the house.

Equiano said his client ran when the police arrived because he thought they were gunmen.

Dawkins was remanded into custody until September 16.