Teenager 'strangled Thornton Heath transexual after date mistake'
Shanniel Hyatt, 18, covered the body of 39-year-old Kellie Telesford with a white blanket - with the brown furry scarf used to choke her still bound tightly round her neck.
He then stole her mobile phone, freeview box and DVD player and used her Oyster card to catch the bus home, the court was told.
She was found three days later, still in her dressing gown and underwear, on the floor of her bedroom after concerned friends had alerted police.
When Hyatt was later interviewed by police he denied he had reacted violently after discovering she was a pre-op transsexual during the date.
"It's the prosecution case that this defendant went with Kellie Telesford back to her flat in the early evening of November 17 and having spent the evening with her he strangled her,'"said prosecutor Sally O'Neill QC.
Hyatt allegedly met Miss Telesford - born Kayode Dexter Telesford - outside the South London beauty salon where she worked part-time hours before she was killed, while his girlfriend visited family with their baby.
She told colleagues at the salon in London Road, Norbury, she had met a 'handsome light skinned guy'.
The pair had agreed to see each other on the evening of November 17 last year and after meeting at Norbury train station they headed to the victim's lat in nearby Leander Road, Thornton Heath.
Their journey was caught on a series of CCTV cameras, with Miss Telesford wearing distinctive white tracksuit trousers, a blue and white crop top and black coat.
"Kellie Telesford was born in Trinidad, she was aged 39 at the time of her death and although born a man with the name Kayode Dexter Telesford, she was a pre-operative trans-gender female and lived her life as a woman," said the prosecutor.
"She was said to be a well groomed woman in her 30s and described as both a nice person and good friend."
The court heard she last spoke to friends at 3am the following morning 'and seemed fine' but was never heard from or seen alive again.
Miss O'Neill said Hyatt left the flat at 6am carrying a large bag and was caught on camera getting on to bus 15 minutes later, using Miss Telesford's Oyster card.
He later sold her DVD player and digi-box for £10 at the local Cash Exchange shop and gave the mobile phone to his girlfriend, after using it several times himself, when she arrived home at 9am.
Miss Teleford's friend becoming increasingly worried for her safety when they could not contact her on her mobile, which was always close at hand, and her flat was shut up.
On November 21 friends tried again to rouse Miss Telesford at the flat, but got no answer and called the police.
Miss O'Neill told the court: "When police broke in to the flat they saw her lying on the floor on the left side of the bed and a bay window, covered by a white throw.
"The body including the head was entirely covered except for two feet protruding and a right-hand outstretched.
"There was blood round the inside of her mouth and a brown fur scarf was seemingly wrapped twice round her neck and the ends plaited together.
"The flat appeared to look as if it had been searched there were bags around the body and a number of items on the bed including boxes."
Jamaican-born Hyatt, who was 17 at the time, was arrested on suspicion of murder on November 29 at his flat.
In interview he first claimed that he had met Miss Telesford and gone back to her flat for drinks and to watch a DVD, before leaving after 10pm after she had given him oral sex.
He admitted taking the phone, but no other possessions.
In further interviews he changed his story several times, but insisted he left the flat late that night and went to South Croydon with friends 'robbing people'.
Miss O'Neill said: "He said he only discovered Kellie had been a man an hour before (in interview) and had not known she was a biological male while he was with her.
"He said he "felt p*ssed about finding out" and said he would have left straight away. He denied he made the discovery at the flat and became violent as a result.'
The prosecutor said Hyatt now admits leaving the flat at 6am after some 'sexual activity' had taken place but Miss Telesford was fit and well when he left her.
In a brief opening speech to the jury defence barrister Joanna Greenberg QC said the victim had a habit of 'taking men to her flat and engaging in intimacy' and was 'quite good' at concealing her gender from them.
She said the jury may be asked by the prosecution to consider if Hyatt killed her after finding out her true sex.
Miss Greenberg said they would also have to think about whether Miss Telesford died during a 'sex game that went wrong' either on her own or with another partner.
But she said that Hyatt had left the flat and Miss Telesford was still alive and it could not have been him.
There were no signs of a struggle on her body and every one of her false nails remained in tact, jurors heard, and the way her body had been left was not part of an 'aggressive act'.
Hyatt, of Northborough Road, Thornton Heath, denies murder.
The trial continues.
