A JURY will consider today if David Roustaby murdered David Clarke 13 years ago.

The prosecution alleges that Roustaby confessed to killing 43-year-old Mr Clarke to two friends in August 2019.

Roustaby, now 45, of Rawcliffe Lane, York, claims that he was trying to impress his friends by making up a story that related to concerns they had mentioned earlier in the conversation.

Mr Clarke’s body was found in the River Foss at Towthorpe Bridge, on the morning of April 18 more than four miles from his bedsit in Huntington Road, York.

Roustaby, who denies murder, lived in the same block of bedsits at the time.

The jury at Leeds Crown Court has heard that some hours before the body was found, Roustaby texted to Mr Clarke: “No friends, no family, it’s a cruel world, not for me."

Mr Clarke replied, but the text had been deleted from his phone, which was found in the river near him.

Roustaby replied: “If you like.”

They also heard that Mr Clarke had no car. He had been prescribed diazepam, but had told his doctor he didn’t take it because of side effects.