Lea Adri-Soejoko, 80, was discovered by police in a locked shed at Colindale allotments in north London with a flex wrapped around her neck

An 80-year-old grandmother was strangled with a lawnmower cord in a 'cold-blooded' bid to cover up a shocking assault by a fellow allotment holder, a court has heard.

Lea Adri-Soejoko, 80, was discovered by police in a locked shed at Colindale allotments in north London with a flex wrapped around her neck.

Her family and friends had raised the alarm after she failed to turn up at an allotment society meeting on February 27 last year.

The secretary of Colindale Allotment Association had suffered fractured ribs and bruises from being 'beaten up' by Rahim Mohammadi, jurors were told.

To stop her reporting the assault, he allegedly throttled her with the starter cord of a Mountfield lawnmower stored in the lock-up where she was found.

Iranian national Mohammadi, 41, of Hackney, who arrived in Britain over a decade ago after fleeing persecution in his home country, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of murdering Mrs Adri-Soejoko.

Prosecutor John Price QC told jurors that Mohammadi spent five hours at the allotment on the day of the killing and had been seen by two other plot holders.

As a committee member, he had his own key to the mower shed which had been locked from the outside with Mrs Adri-Soejoko's body in it, with her keys in her pocket.

Rahim Mohammadi, 41, of Hackney, (pictured) is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of murdering Mrs Adri-Soejoko

Lea Adri-Soejoko, 80, was found dead in a lock-up belonging to an allotment association of which she was secretary

Mark and Tess Adri-Soejoko, who are the son and daughter of Lea Adri-Soejoko

Mr Price said the motive for the killing was to prevent the detection of a 'very serious' assault on the elderly victim.

He said: 'Whereas the killing of Mrs Adri-Soejoko was carried out with cold-blooded deliberation, the other blunt force injuries speak of a more spontaneous use of violence.

'In a phrase, Mrs Adri-Soejoko was beaten up. That in turn does point, it is submitted, to a motive for her murder - to avoid detection for a shocking and very serious assault on a vulnerable old lady.'

The lawyer said it suggested the victim knew her attacker and would have been able to identify them.

Despite her age, Mrs Adri-Soejoko was said to be in very good health and led a 'full and active life'

The secretary of Colindale Allotment (pictured) Association had suffered fractured ribs and bruises from being 'beaten up' by Rahim Mohammadi, jurors were told

Mr Price said Mrs Adri-Soejoko had a 'passion' for her allotment, which was a short walk from the home where she lived with her granddaughter.

Despite her age, she was said to be in very good health and led a 'full and active life'.

The defendant had had a plot on the allotment since 2013 and was also a 'very keen and active' user of the site, jurors heard.

Mr Price told jurors that DNA from the defendant was found on the part of lawnmower cord he allegedly used to strangle her.

Mohammadi denies murder. The trial continues.