A man accused of murdering his neighbour bought “around £300 on crack cocaine and heroin” hours after his death, a jury was told.

Thomas Ellison bought the drugs after, prosecutors say, strangling Ian Jupe to death, Southampton Crown Court was told.

Ellison is accused of withdrawing cash from Jupe's account following his death over a £40 debt, jurors have been told.

In his evidence, Leo O’Dell said he knew both Jupe, 58, and Ellison, 35, from spending time at Heather Court where they both lived.

In a witness statement read out at court, Mr O’Dell said he went to Jupe’s flat in Mountain Ash Close, Harefield, on the morning of May 28 after not hearing from him.

He was joined by Jupe’s niece Michelle, who said her uncle’s lack of contact was “unusual”.

Mr O’Dell said: “When we arrived, I saw Ian’s bedroom light was on and when I tried his front door, it was unlocked.

“This was unusual as he always locked it.

“The shock of seeing Ian [in his bed] made me sick. To me, it looked like he was placed in that position.”

READ MORE: Man paid £40 drugs debt with money stolen from dead neighbour, court hears

The court heard Michelle phoned the emergency services and Ellison, who lives a few flats down, appeared.

Mr O’Dell said Ellison told him he had seen Jupe alive at 8am that morning after collecting his money from the nearby Post Office.

“I said to him there was no way Ian was alive at 8am, but Thomas was very adamant and insisted he was”, he added.

Mr O’Dell said later that day he saw Ellison with “£100 cash” and the pair decided to go halves on crack cocaine.

He said Ellison denied the fact it was Jupe’s money when O'Dell questioned him, and he “continued to grill him”.

He added: “He gave me £60, and I bought him some drugs, and at 9pm that night he rang Michelle’s phone to speak to me as he wanted more drugs.

“He spent around £300 in a day which was very unusual. He told me he had borrowed money from his mother.

“Ian was like family to me and I saw him at least twice a week.”

The jury previously heard how Ellison told police he had seen Jupe at 8am on the morning of his death after collecting his money on his behalf.

He is denies murdering Jupe in his flat in the early hours of May 28 morning but has admitted theft.

The trial continues.