Man denies murdering his ‘world-renowned’ Jaguar restoration expert grandfather

A man has denied murdering his grandfather, a “world-renowned” Jaguar restoration expert, who died following an alleged assault.

John Brown, 82, died in hospital on November 29 last year, six days after police were called to his home in Bulkington, near Coventry.

At Warwick Crown Court on Thursday, his grandson Jakob Walpole, 32, of School Road in Bulkington, pleaded not guilty to Mr Brown’s murder.

He also pleaded not guilty to breaching a restraining order on November 23, and assault by beating and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to an incident at Bulkington Working Men’s Club in which a customer and a member of staff were allegedly attacked the same day.

Judge Sylvia de Bertodano said Walpole would face a three-week trial starting on July 7.

She told the defendant he must put together a defence statement before his trial.

She said: “It is your opportunity to tell your side of the story so please make sure what is in your defence statement is as full as possible.

“You will be brought back for a hearing in the first week of May. In the meantime, you are remanded into custody. You may go.”

Mr Brown was the founder of the company Leaping Cats, which built and restored Jaguars, including the XK series, with his family saying his reputation in the industry was “unmatched”, which earned him “respect and admiration across the globe”.

In a tribute released after his death, they said: “It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved, John Brown, a man whose kindness, generosity and passion touched the lives of everyone who knew him.

“John was not only a loving husband, father and grandfather, but also a true gentleman, a pillar of the community and a world-renowned figure in the Jaguar restoration industry.”

They added: “As a father, he guided his children with wisdom and affection, and as a grandfather he was the heart of the family, creating memories filled with warmth, laughter and love.

“His ability to bring light to any room made him a cherished presence in his family, his community and beyond.”