A court has heard that a woman who mistakenly believed a house to be a B&B died after being dragged outdoors by the ankles and stamped on by the owner.
Before getting into bed, Margaret Barnes, a native of Birmingham, stumbled into the incorrect seaside residence in Barmouth, Wales. This error finally claimed her life.
According to testimony given before Caernarfon Crown Court, David Redfern found the semi-naked and inebriated senior in his sizable five-story home, which was located on the same side of the street but a few doors below her B&B.
Redfern, 46, who is 6ft 1in tall and weighed 21 stones, has self-confessed anger management issues, according to prosecutor Michael Jones KC.
He said: ‘Mrs Barnes had been drinking and, whether she thought this was the Wavecrest, she went in and went to bed.
‘She mistook the defendant’s address for her B&B, but this was a mistake which ultimately cost her her life.’
The 71-year-old suffered injuries similar to those expected in a high speed crash and died soon afterwards, the jury heard.
The retired factory worker had been visiting friends in Barmouth last summer, and had been staying at the Wavecrest.
After buying some gin, she headed to her B&B, while pulling her small suitcase on wheels and carrying her handbag, but ended up in Belmont House.
At the time, the townhouse was being renovated by the defendant and his partner Nicola Learoyd-Lewis.
Mrs Barnes went into an upstairs bedroom, took out her false teeth and put them on a bedside table and poured a gin into a glass while holding a bottle of tonic.
The prosecution claims that Redfern and Ms Leroyd-Lewis found the frail woman in bed with her belongings strewn across the floor.
Redfern called Mrs Barnes a ‘thieving c***’ before dragging her downstairs by her ankles and stamping on her outside, the court was told.
The jury was told he said: ‘It probably did not do her the world of good me dragging her down the stairs by her ankles.’
He had later told police the victim had been aggressive to him, the court heard.
Emergency services were called and a neighbour was told to perform CPR but she developed breathing difficulties and succumbed to her injuries.
The prosecution said it was obviously a surprise for Redfern to find Mrs Barnes in one of his beds.
Mr Jones said: ‘However unexpected her presence was Mrs Barnes sustained “catastrophic, fatal and brutal injuries at the hands of the defendant” who is a “bully”.’
Pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers concluded that Mrs Barnes had died from severe blunt force trauma.
There were rib fractures and a fractured neck, consistent with being dragged down the stairs, the prosecution said.
Mr Jones stressed the defendant had used vicious and intentional violence and language and by acting out of temper or gratuitously was guilty of her murder.
But Redfern denies murdering Mrs Barnes outside his home in Marine Parade on July 11 last year.
He claims the victim had lunged towards his girlfriend in the bedroom and he intervened because he thought his girlfriend was in danger, by bear hugging Mrs Barnes off the premises.
The trial continues.