Brunshaw double murder case - jury hears of brutal beatings on alcoholics

The double murder trial has begun at Preston Crown Court and it is alleged victim Neil Gilmore met his death at the hands of the two defendants in a “brutal and cowardly way”, beaten so badly a pathologist could not say how many blows he had had to his head.

On trial is Daniel Waddington (23), of Pine Street, and Kenneth Howson (25), of Williams Road, Burnley, who deny two counts of murder.

Mr Tony Cross QC (prosecuting) told the jury that frail alcoholic Mr Gilmore (55) rarely left his flat in the Brunshaw area and only met his death late on October 4th last year because he was a friend of James Atkinson, who Mr Gilmore had allowed to live at his flat.

“It was Mr Atkinson’s presence which brought these two to Mr Gilmore’s door. Mr Atkinson was to die at their hands, he like Mr Gilmore was aged 55 and an alcoholic. Gilmore, perhaps because he had witnessed the violence to Mr Atkinson, could not be left alive,” said Mr Cross.

Explaining the background to the case, Mr Cross said Pamela Brown was the mother of defendant Howson and the partner of the deceased man Mr Atkinson. They had been together for years but their relationsgip had not always been happy.

On August 29th, Ms Brown, who had been prone to depression, sent text messages to her children saying she was suicidal and later took her own life, overdosing on insulin prescribed for diabetic Mr Atkinson.

“The Howson children somehow blamed James Atkinson for, first, her condition and, then, her demise, believing he could have done something more to save her,” said Mr Cross.

Indeed, police were concerned about Mr Atkinson’s safety, fearing recriminations from the family. In September, when Mr Atkinson was in hospital, the home he had shared with Pamela Brown was damaged by fire, leaving him homeless.

Mr Cross explained how, in a conversation to another man Darren Lee, Howson told how he was going to the flat “to do Jimmy in”. “Daniel Waddington who was there and told him he would come along for a laugh,” said Mr Cross.

The pair bought alcohol and went to the flat where they found Mr Gilmore and Mr Atkinson drunk in front of the TV, using “extreme violence” with a piece of wood and bottle, on them. “Both men were attacked with an incomprehensible brutality,” Mr Cross said.

It is alleged both defendants left the flat at 1 a.m. with the murder weapons, which were buried, and disposed of their clothes.

Police later discovered the two bodies - Mr Gilmore in the sitting room and Mr Atkinson in the bedroom - and the clothes worn by Howson.

Mr Cross said post mortems revealed both men suffered severe facial fractures. Mr Gilmore’s skull was shattered, with barely a bone intact, and he had been hit at least 25 times and Mr Atkinson at least 11.

Blood from both deceased men was found on Howson’s clothes and footware and, on a T-shirt from Waddington, blood from Mr Atkinson. Police also examined a phone from Howson’s home containing images of the dead men in the positions they were found.

When interviewed, Howson told police Mr Atkinson would not stop mumbling about his mother’s overdose and he followed the victim to a bedroom where he hit him in the face with a bottle he picked up and then hit him four or five times, although he had no intention of causing him serious harm. He claimed he heard the sound of violence and saw Mr Gilmore being beaten to death by Waddington using a stick and his feet. Appalled by what he saw, he intervened and stopped the onslaught against Mr Gilmore before Waddington headed to the bedroom and attacked the unconscious Mr Atkinson.

Waddington remained silent when quizzed by police but, in a defence statement, admitted he attacked Mr Gilmore with the wooden weapon, not intending any serious harm

“These men were acting together from first to last and have only fallen out in a desperate attempt to absolve themselves of blame; their conduct that night was as one,” Mr Cross said.

Proceeding