An 83-year-old man, Alan Wotton, is on trial at Portsmouth Crown Court accused of murdering his 65-year-old nephew, Andrew Avery, and setting fire to a home following a dispute over a £20,000 inheritance.
Prosecutors allege that Wotton believed his nephew was withholding inheritance money that his late sister, June, had left for him. Wotton, who has a heart condition and wears a hearing aid, had been staying at his sister's home in Gosport, Hampshire, after her death. His nephew, Andrew Avery, had purchased a flat for Wotton to move into.
The prosecution claims that Wotton was upset about having to move and felt aggrieved about the inheritance. On November 29, 2024, the day Wotton was scheduled to move, Mr. Avery arrived to assist. Prosecutors allege that Wotton then stabbed Mr. Avery multiple times before setting fire to the house.
Jodie Mittell KC, opening the case, told jurors that Mr. Avery sustained seven stab wounds to his torso and four to his left leg, totaling 11 stab wounds. The defense does not dispute that Wotton inflicted these wounds. Wotton has argued that he acted in self-defense, but the prosecution contends he was the aggressor and had no need to defend himself.
Mr. Avery and his brother Colin were executors of their mother June's will. Wotton had traveled from Hungary, where he had been living, for his sister's funeral. While arrangements were being made for the sale of the house, Mr. Avery allowed Wotton to stay at the property.
In November 2024, the house was sold, necessitating Wotton's move. Mr. Avery's husband, John Portlock, testified that he had lent his husband £84,000 to buy the new flat, and Mr. Avery had also used approximately £40,000 of his own money for the purchase, which was to be in his name. Mr. Portlock stated that Mr. Avery wanted to support his uncle, believing it would have been his mother's wish.
Prosecutors suggested that the motive for the alleged murder was Wotton's reluctance to leave his sister's home or his feeling that his nephew was stealing his inheritance money. Wotton told police that his sister had left him £20,000 in her will, and that Mr. Avery suggested investing this money, with the interest to cover Wotton's living expenses for the new flat.
Wotton reportedly told police that his nephew had taken a knife from the kitchen and advanced towards him. After his arrest, Wotton allegedly described stabbing his nephew multiple times in the leg, calling him a "thieving b*****." When questioned about intent to kill, he reportedly replied, "Probably, yeah."
The weapon, a knife, was found in a kitchen block with blood on it. Sarah Jones KC, representing Wotton, urged the jury to consider his claim of self-defense or, alternatively, diminished responsibility due to a diagnosed delusional disorder.
The trial is ongoing. The court was shown images of the house's charred interior, including a blackened banister and fire-damaged walls. 
