A MAN who told police his flatmate had been murdered feared he would be next, a court heard.

Daniel Anderson and his partner Tiffany Maidment called police from St Michael’s Church in Poole Road because they were too frightened to return home to their flat in Cecil Road, Boscombe, a jury was told.

Mr Anderson told police he knew Geoffrey Reed, 57 – a convicted sex attacker – had been murdered by defendants Stuart Raymond Wareham, 26, Benjamin Henry Walter, 22, and Lee Raymond Wareham, 33, in June last year. All three have pleaded not guilty to murder.

In his 23-minute 999 call, played to the jury at Winchester Crown Court yesterday, Mr Anderson said: “We’ve not told any of our family.

“We’ve done this because we know we need to be put away somewhere because of how much we know.

“What I have heard, mate, is terrifying – it’s terrifying.

“We had to have a drink to do this call.”

He added: “If they think we know, we’re going to be next.”

Mr Anderson told police that he had not seen the body, but realised one of the suitcases was missing from the cupboard in his bedroom.

He said: “Geoffrey’s disappeared and the suitcase has disappeared.”

During the call, he also said he had heard Lee Wareham talking to half-brother Stuart about Mr Reed’s death.

He said: “I heard the brother asking Stu, ‘Where is it buried?’ – at his nan’s or near his nan’s field.”

Mr Reed’s body was found inside a suitcase in a shallow grave on Stuart’s grandmother’s land off Huntick Road, Lytchett Matravers, on June 14 last year.

Grandmother Jean Skinner told the court Benjamin Walter and Stuart Wareham had visited her house, which is set in farmland, to tell her they needed to bury a dog on June 7.

The pair were arrested on suspicion of murder after they returned to the flat as police were searching for evidence three days before Mr Reed’s body was discovered.

Lee Wareham was arrested at Long John’s Fish and Chips in Parkstone on June 12.

The court heard that none of the men spoke when they were arrested and Stuart Wareham joked with officers about missing his favourite wrestling show that night when he was taken into custody.

The trial continues.