Barmouth murder accused laughed at victim, trial hears

Image source, Family Photo

Image caption, Witnesses found Margaret Barnes lying in the street, saying she had been beaten up

A man accused of murdering a 71-year-old woman after she mistook his home for a hotel "sounded like a raving lunatic", a court has heard.

David Redfern, 46, denies the murder or manslaughter of Margaret Barnes, who was allegedly dragged out of his house before being kicked and stamped on.

Jurors were told that a neighbour heard shouting and found Mrs Barnes lying in the street in Barmouth, Gwynedd.

Lynn Hynes said Mr Redfern told her "not to touch" Mrs Barnes.

Ms Barnes, a retired factory worker from Birmingham, had been drinking and mistook Mr Redfern's seaside house for a B&B, the jury heard.

Mrs Hynes described how Mr Redfern "sounded like a raving lunatic" that evening last July, prompting her to go outside to see what was going on.

In a witness statement, Mrs Hynes said Mr Redfern admitted to "dragging her [Mrs Barnes] down the stairs and throwing her out of the house".

Caernarfon Crown Court heard that Mr Redfern kept "laughing at her" while she was on the floor.

Jurors also heard several other witness statements, including that of Zelanie Hart, the joint-owner of a nearby hotel, who stopped her car when she saw what was happening.

She recalled asking Mrs Barnes whether she was in pain and being told "yes, my chest hurts" and that she had been "beaten up".

Image source, Google

Image caption, Margaret Barnes died at the scene on Marine Parade last July

Police bodycam footage from PC Annie Britton was shown to the court.

In the video, Mr Redfern said: "I threw her out the bedroom, dragged her down the stairs by her ankles and threw her out the door.

"You do not expect to find someone else in your bed. I just wanted to get this strange woman out of the house."

Mr Redfern also claimed that Mrs Barnes was "aggressive" and "paralytically drunk".

He was heard telling PC Britton he tried to help Mrs Barnes and "cover her up" with blankets and pillows.

Jurors were previously told that Mr Redfern, who had self-confessed anger issues, had phoned the police after finding Mrs Barnes in his house but "what the defendant did next to Mrs Barnes was out of all proportion".

Prosecutor Michael Jones KC said Mr Redfern kicked or stamped on the "defenceless" woman in a "cruel" attack which caused major liver damage and broke several of her ribs.

Mrs Barnes, who had been drinking during a social trip to the area, died at the scene.

The trial continues.