DOUBLE murder suspect Timothy Crook will appear in court today charged with the murder of his elderly parents more than seven years ago.

Crook, 50, of Thames Avenue, has been detained at Rampton Hospital since 2008 due to concerns over his mental health, but has now been deemed fit to stand trial.

He will appear at Bristol Crown Court today for a plea and case management hearing.

Crook’s parents, Robert and Elsie, were discovered dead on 11 July 2007 more than 150 miles outside of Swindon, having been brutally beaten and dumped in a Lincoln garden.

It is thought that 82-year-old Robert and 76-year-old Elsie were murdered in their bungalow in Greenmeadow before being driven the long journey to the property in Foxglove Way, where the gruesome discovery was made.

The alarm was raised when the pensioners, of Thames Avenue, failed to turn up to a weekly tea dance they had been running at St Luke’s Church in Broadgreen.

Their car, a mushroom coloured Nissan Micra, was found by detectives having been abandoned at a car park in Newark, Nottingham-shire, on 12 July 2007, the day after their bodies were found.

Police also discovered a bloodstained hammer, which was thought to have been used in the murder of the elderly pair, in a shed in their own back garden.

Tributes to the ‘marvellous’ couple were left during their funeral, held at Kingsdown Crematorium in August 2007.

At the time the family released a statement reading: “Today is a very sad day for the family as we say goodbye to two people who have played a big part in the lives of many people.

“Even though we must now move on and look to the future, we will always have treasured memories of Robert and Elsie with us.”

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Murder victims Robert and Elsie Crook

At the time neighbours of the quiet couple spoke of their total shock at the events which had unfolded.

Roger Bellamy, then 66, said that Robert had served in the Royal Artillery and injured his arm during the Second World War.

Albert Ayres, 78 at the time, who lived a few doors down, said: “They were both very nice. I always spoke to them and they always spoke to me.

“They were a couple that kept themselves to themselves. I used to walk up to his house and we would walk up and get the papers together in the morning and have a natter.”

Kenneth Archer, 84, who still lives opposite the couple's home, said: “This was a terrible tragedy. You never think this is going to happen on your own doorstep.

“I remember when they first arrested the son and took him out into the police car, and at the time we had no idea why.

“They were a lovely couple who never bothered anybody.

“We used to say hello to them when we would go past their house walking our dog, because we would go down the alleyway next to their house.

“He used to be out in his garden keeping it tidy front and back, and we would just say hello most days.

“It was a real shock when this happened, and nobody round here mentions it now.

“Whoever did it should pay for what they have done because it is awful, two lovely people are dead.”

Members of the dance group run by Robert and Elsie were dismayed when the news first broke and paid tribute to their good friends.

Thomas Eaves, of Stratton, said: “They were two of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet.

“They were great people and a lovely couple.

“I never heard them have a disagreement."

“Dancing for Bob was like a hobby. He ran the club and he got a lot of pleasure out of that.

“It must have cost him money when not enough people turned up to pay for the hall, but nothing would stop the dancing “They put a lot of effort into it because they loved it. They never counted the expense.

“They used to put on marvellous Christmas dos and he would always finance them. There was always so much food, everyone could take a parcel.

“They will be missed very much.”