A HUSHED courtroom heard how handwritten notes on how to cover up a burglary were found in the bedroom of Callum Fitzpatrick, 17, the son of Shane Fitzpatrick, who is accused of murdering David Guilfoyle.

The torn-up scraps of paper found by police, featured Callum's handwriting and listed ways to conceal a burglar's identity, including newly bought clothes. Also written was: "Footprint - feetbags, fingerprints - clothes, clothes fibres - burn after and hairs - prevent showing in house."

Prosecutor Mr James Goss called the content "sophisticated" and said the list showed steps to be taken to prevent a link between an offender and a crime scene.

He asked Callum if he had worked on the list with his dad.

But Callum told the court he had written the list while brainstorming ideas for an English project and said the content wasn't important, just the way it was presented.

Mr Goss also asked Callum where he and his dad were on 25 May last year, the day Mr Guilfoyle disappeared. Callum admitted that the pair had been for a short walk around the estate, something he had denied in an earlier police statement.

He said they often went for walks around the estate near their home and had gone out that evening, returning home about 11pm.

He said he was busy studying for his GCSE exams and had gone for the walk to alleviate the stress of revision.

Mr Michael Shorrock, defending, asked Callum what clothes they may have been wearing that night as neighbours had seen them wearing dark "commando style" clothing.

Callum said: "If it was warm I would go out in a T-shirt and navy blue jacket and some tracksuit bottoms. If it was cold, I would wear the same but with a grey hat."

He added: "I think it was slightly cool that night."

During proceedings it was revealed Mr Guilfoyle's daughter Samantha should have been staying with her father the night he disappeared.

Speaking to the jury Samantha's mum Angela Feeley said Sammy, 16, was due to stay at her dad's house on Royds Avenue, Accrington, but had re-arranged due to illness.

She said: "She used to see him every Wednesday or Saturday and they were always in contact with each other. On Tuesday and Wednesday she was off school full of a cold so she didn't go and I made her ring her dad and say that she couldn't go."

Angela Feeley said she had first met Mr Guilfoyle at Christmas 1988 but the relationship ended in December 1989 shortly before Sammy was born in March 1990. In 1994 Mr Guilfoyle said he wanted to see Sammy and contact began.

When questioned by Mr Shorrock, she said Neil Bennett, a friend of Mr Guilfoyle's, had visited her home on Saturday 28 May and told her that he was missing.

Mr Shorrock asked her: "Did he say to you David Guilfoyle had lots of enemies and everyone was panicking?"

She replied: "He told me that he'd been to David Guilfoyle's house. He knew we were close friends and wanted to alert Sammy." She added: "Neil was panicking."