Police have released CCTV footage showing the movements of a child killer just hours before he was allegedly murdered by his neighbour.

David Gaut, 54, was stabbed more than 150 times while still alive, a further 26 times after he died, and his fingernails were cut off post-mortem.

On Monday Gwent Police released the first images of Mr Gaut buying tickets at a train station before the alleged attack at his neighbour’s flat on the evening of August 2 last year.

CCTV shows him wearing a dark jacket, white shirt and blue jeans as he buys train tickets around 11.39am at Caerphilly train station in south Wales before he is seen walking along a train platform.

Prosecutors say his neighbour David Osborne, 51, and co-accused Ieuan Harley, 23, murdered Mr Gaut just hours later after learning he had served over 32 years in prison for murdering 15-month-old Chi Ming Shek in 1985.

David Gaut death court case
CCTV footage shows David Gaut walking along a platform at the train station (Gwent Police/PA)

It is alleged his body was dragged back to his own flat in Long Row, New Tredegar, and attempts were made to clean up the murder scene, dispose of bloodied clothing and set fire to a car to destroy incriminating evidence.

The trial at Newport Crown Court was adjourned for the day on Monday after a juror was taken ill.

Osborne, from Long Row, Elliots Town, New Tredegar and Harley, of no fixed address, deny the murder of Mr Gaut.

Harley and Darran Evesham, 47, from Powell’s Terrace, New Tredegar, also deny perverting the course of justice, which Osborne admits.

Evesham had earlier been acquitted of Mr Gaut’s murder on the direction of the judge.