A “killer” zipped his victim’s dead body into a sleeping bag, wrapped it in plastic bin bags and threw it into the River Thames, a court has heard.

Nyiah ‘Dragon’ Williams, of Hadrians Walk East, is charged with the murder of 46-year-old Reading man Duane Denny.

Mr Denny’s body was discovered on the bank of the Thames in Erith, London, on September 15, 2021. He was last seen alive weeks earlier, on August 10, 2021.

Williams, known as ‘Dragon’ due to a prominent face tattoo, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, perverting the course of justice and preventing a lawful burial.

After a jury was sworn in on Monday, the prosecution, led by Miranda Moore KC, opened its case against 47-year-old Williams this morning (Thursday).

Ms Moore told the court that Williams was a drug supplier who was using Mr Denny to deliver illegal substances.

She alleged that Williams killed Denny as he thought the victim had stolen some of his supply.

Ms Moore said: “Williams violently and viciously beat Mr Denny to death, he caused multiple injuries, leaving him to die in that flat in Hadrians Walk and then took steps to cover up the crime.

"Williams attacked Mr Denny in that flat, breaking his jaw and knocking a tooth out, causing serious injuries to his face, and then effectively strangled him.

“This is a man capable of murder and who did murder Duane Denny.”

Laying out the prosecution’s case, Ms Moore explained that Mr Denny, who was a drug user and physically frail, had been living at Williams’ flat in Hadrians Walk, Reading.

Mr Denny, would regularly visit his mother’s home, and he was last seen alive by her on August 10, 2021. She became concerned and contacted the police when she had not seen him for several days.

Police were only able to locate Mr Denny’s body after Anupam Sandhu, a drug user, went to Reading Police Station and told officers that he had helped a man called “Dragon” dispose of the body on September 12.

Ms Moore told the court how Williams had asked Mr Sandhu to pick him up at his flat and asked him to help load two rolls of carpet into his car for them to “get rid of”.

The pair drove to Erith, in London, and after spending some time trying to get hold of drugs, they parked up near the River Thames.

Ms Moore told the court that the pair walked for 30 minutes to a Morrisons, where they collected a shopping trolley, and then used it to help dump the carpets over the wall and into the brambles on the bank of the river.

Ms Moore said: "Mr Sandhu touched one of the black bags and he said it felt soft and sqidgy.

"They threw the carpet over the wall, Dragon said they had to get it right over the wall so it would have been hidden.

"As they left, Mr Sandhu said to Dragon 'is that a body?'.

"Dragon joked back 'yeah, right.’"

"Mr Sandhu said he asked him again, Dragon says no and 'don't mention it to anyone.'"

Ms Moore went on to show the jury images of Williams’ flat in Hadrians Walk, pointing out smears of blood, a roll of bin bags and some parcel tape – items she alleged were both used to wrap up the body of Mr Denny.

She went on to allege that Williams believed Mr Denny had used some of his drug supply – prompting him to launch a “violent and vicious”, and ultimately fatal, attack on him at the flat.

She said: “Williams is a man motivated by drugs, greed and anger.”

Williams, who is remanded in custody, declined to attend the hearing. He is also not represented by a lawyer after he departed with his barrister, John Price KC.

Briefly explaining Williams’ defence to the jury, Ms Moore said: “He says it was not me."

"He accepted that he dumped the body. He says he was acting under duress."

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