A KILLER left his victim for dead after pinching a rare book worth a 'mouth-watering' sum from the scene of the 'savage' murder, jurors have been told.

Adrian Greenwood was discovered by his cleaner dead in the hallway of his Iffley Road home in Oxford during the afternoon of April 7.

Unemployed Michael Danaher denies murdering the Christ Church College graduate but claims he killed him in self-defence the day before.

Oxford Crown Court heard today Mr Greenwood's name featured on a list of high-profile people the prosecution allege Danaher was plotting to rob, kidnap or blackmail.

In his opening speech to jurors, prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC said model Kate Moss, politician Jeffrey Archer, property developer Howard Grossman, financial investor Guy Hands and venture capitalist Adrian Beecroft of Wonga were also targets.

Mr Saxby said Danaher penned a blackmail letter to Adrian Beecroft's wife on the day of Mr Greenwood’s death, demanding 200 bitcoins and telling her to read the Oxford Mail for updates on the killing.

He said the 'brutal' list, discovered on Danaher's laptop and mobile called Enterprises, detailed valuables, weapons and family members of the defendant's intended victims.

The list also featured a stun gun, which was found disguised as a phone in Danaher's home when he was arrested, the prosecutor said.

Mr Saxby added: "They were people of means, often with large houses from who he was planning to get money by going to their addresses and stealing and robbing and demanding a ransom.

"It is almost as if these are people who because of their wealth, and his lack of it, deserve to be subjected to what he has planned. And there is a callousness, we suggest, about the list."

Mr Saxby told the jury of eight men and four women the alleged murder was sparked by Danaher's interest in Mr Greenwood's rare first edition of The Wind in the Willows.

He said the 'particularly unusual' item, published in 1908 with an original, intact dust cover, was worth in the region of £50,000.

But he revealed to jurors the book was buried within Mr Greenwood's home, telling them uncovering it would have been like searching for a 'needle in a haystack'.

Danaher travelled from his home in Hadrians Court, Peterborough, in the late morning of April 6, parking up before going to Mr Greenwood's house, the court was told.

Mr Saxby said the defendant left the property about two hours later but said it was 'impossible' to know exactly what happened within the East Oxford house.

He continued: "It is likely that they were in the kitchen together - the police later found a pint glass with the defendant's finger marks on it."

The prosecutor told the court Danaher stabbed Mr Greenwood in the back, chest and neck, broke his arm by stamping on him, and then scoured his home for items to steal as his victim lay on the floor fighting for his life.

Danaher pinched the rare book, along with Mr Greenwood's mobile, wallet, laptop, camcorder and Nikon camera, Mr Saxby told the court.

He went on to tell jurors Danaher took the blade of the knife with him when he fled the scene, leaving the handle on the ground near to Mr Greenwood's body.

Mr Saxby said 'defenceless' Mr Greenwood, who bought and sold rare books, was left with 33 puncture and stab wounds, all believed to have been caused by the blade found at Danaher's home.

The prosecutor told jurors some of the injuries were caused by the tip of the knife, possibly during attempts to 'extract information' from Mr Greenwood about the whereabouts of the rare book.

He went on to tell the court Mr Greenwood also had wounds on his hands after trying to prise the blade from attacker Danaher.

Danaher deleted Mr Greenwood from his 'Enterprise' list hours after his death, posting the rare book online for a knock-down price, and surfed the internet for news the body had been discovered, Mr Saxby said.

Father-of-two Danaher also researched television presenter Eamonn Holmes, chat show host Michael Parkinson, footballer Rio Ferdinand, entrepreneur Alan Sugar and music mogul Simon Cowell last summer, the prosecutor said.

He said Danaher attempted to enter venture capitalist Mr Beecroft's home about two weeks before the alleged murder, but fled the scene after his wife screamed for help.

Mr Saxby added: "It is perfectly clear from the police investigation that as of late 2015, alone in his flat, on the internet, often late at night, he was plotting.

"Plotting to get money by committing crimes, really serious crimes. Really serious crimes with victims and consequences."

The prosecutor told jurors the defendant, who was wearing a grey jumper and tracksuit bottoms, had been buying and selling items online to combat his money woes.

He said police discovered Danaher, who is separated from his wife, had researched 'Getting Away With Murder - Britain's Most Notorious Unsolved Crimes' the day before the alleged murder.

Police also discovered he had downloaded 'The Technique of Secret Killing', 'Opening Locks Without Keys' and 'Mobile Phone Security and Forensics', the prosecutor added.

Mr Saxby said the defendant made several searches online for Mr Greenwood and The Wind in the Willows, making five trips to Oxford to 'suss out' his alleged murder victim.

Jurors were told Danaher has no previous convictions, cautions or reprimands, and 42-year-old Mr Greenwood had three previous criminal convictions.

Mr Saxby added: "The defendant should not have been there trying to rob him and can hardly complain of Adrian Greenwood reacting by asking him to leave."

The trial continues.