A Gillingham man has confessed to killing a "gentle and lonely" disabled neighbour, after a dramatic change of plea in the middle of a murder trial.

Alan Wyatt, a 68-year-old amputee, was bludgeoned to death in his flat in Firethorn Close, in the Vineries, in Gillingham, on Valentine's Day last year after complaining about his neighbour's drug dealings.

Michael Bryant - who had denied murder and arson - then set fire to his body, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

Today, the 36-year-old, who lived in the same flat block, was re-arraigned in the third week of the case and changed his pleas to guilty to manslaughter and arson.

The jury was discharged and defence barristers, David Jose QC and Eve George will be asking a psychiatrist to prepare a report on Bryant.

Prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC, said the defendant initially had denied having been anywhere near the flat on February 14, last year.

He added: "But there's absolutely nothing to suggest that there was anyone else present when Alan Wyatt was attacked."

He said Mr Wyatt, who was a familiar face to passers-by who often saw him sitting in his wheelchair outside his flat, smoking.

Mr Saxby said "Alan Wyatt was brutally killed by Bryant, an habitual drug user and occasional drug dealer.

"Mr Wyatt was an increasingly disgruntled neighbour whose misfortune it was to live under the defendant's flat and who had begun to get fed up with the defendant and his behaviour."

He said father-of-three Mr Wyatt had been "bludgeoned with some sort of heavy implement and an attempt had been made to set his body alight and his face had been stoved in."

The pensioner made it clear before his death, he was unhappy with the various comings and goings from Bryant’s flat.

The jury heard after being told he was charged with murder, Bryant offered to fight the police officer who had just charged him.

The case was adjourned until next week at the earliest.

Mr Saxby said the victim's family were concerned that by next week they could banned from attending under new coronavirus regulations concerning attendance at hearings.

Friendly amputee Mr Wyatt, had lived alone at a ground-floor flat at the Vineries.

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