A homeowner accused of killing a woman, 71, after finding her asleep in his own bedroom and kicking her out onto the street, told a court he collided with the pensioner ‘like a failed football challenge’.
Margaret Barnes died after being allegedly attacked by David Redfern, 46, after she mistook his five-storey home for a seafront B’n’B she had booked in Barmouth, North Wales and went straight to bed and fell asleep.
Mrs Barnes had been booked into the Wavecrest B’n’B, which was several doors down on Marine Parade from Redfern’s property, called Belmont House. The large property had previously been a hotel, and was due to be renovated by Redfern and his partner, Nicola Learoyd-Lewis.
Grandmother Mrs Barnes had bought a bottle of gin after an evening walk in on July 11 last year before tipsily heading back to the wrong property, where she entered and went straight to bed.
Caernarfon Crown Court heard that Redfern had been out for drinks earlier that evening, before returning to his property with his partner, where they had fallen asleep watching Antiques Roadshow.
Caernarfon Crown Court heard that Redfern (pictured) had drunk six or seven pints and a gin and tonic earlier that evening
Margaret Barnes (pictured) died after being allegedly attacked by David Redfern, 46, after she mistook his five-storey home for a seafront B’n’B she had booked
Mrs Barnes ended up mistakenly entering Belmont House, Redfern’s seaside property in Barmouth
The 71-year-old had booked to stay in the Wavecrest B&B on Marine Parade
But when they headed to bed at around 11pm, they found their bedroom door was locked.
They found the spare key and unlocked the door to discover Mrs Barnes sitting in their bed drinking gin, her suitcase open, clothes strewn around the room with her false teeth on a side table.
Giving evidence, Redfern said: ‘There was a lady lying in our bed, drinking and smoking. There was a black travel case open on the floor, clothes hanging up and strewn around the room.’
The court heard that Ms Learoyd-Lewis asked ‘Who the hell are you? What are you doing in our bedroom?’
Bank worker Redfern told the court: ‘It felt like she’d been taken aback and she mumbled something like: ‘This is my room and I’m meant to be here.’
‘Margaret Barnes made a lunging gesture towards Nikki, so I stepped in between them, grabbed Margaret Barnes’ shoulders and said, ‘Right, that’s enough, you’re getting out of our house’.
He told the jury how he and Mrs Barnes had both fallen to the floor at the top of the stairs, before he dragged her down by her legs.
Redfern, of Barmouth, denies both the murder or manslaughter of Mrs Barnes.
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Once inside she had taken herself to a room and fell asleep (Pictured: A room in Belmont House)
The court heard that Margaret Barnes was dragged down the stairs of the property. Pictured: Inside Belmont House
he large property had previously been a hotel, and was due to be renovated by Redfern and his partner, Nicola Learoyd-Lewis
‘It all happened so incredibly quickly,’ he said. ‘She was struggling and kicking out the whole time, holding onto the bannister.’
Mrs Barnes ended up in the street, and Redfern claimed she made a grab for his partner, believing she had her handbag.
‘I went over to put myself in between them, but slipped and tripped on the way and collided with Margaret Barnes,’ he said. ‘I cannot remember the mechanics of the collision, but I made contact with her like a failed football challenge.’
The prosecution claim that Mr Redfern kicked or stamped on Mrs Barnes during the evening, but when questioned by his defence barrister, Mark Cotter KC, he denied this.
‘My best recollection is that I’ve collided with Mrs Barnes and to my best recollection, part of my leg or knee has come into contact with her,’ he said.
Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers said that Mrs Barnes suffered ‘catastrophic deep tearing’ of her liver – and it fell apart when removed from her body.
Mrs Barnes had been booked into the Wavecrest B’n’B (pictured) which was several doors down on Marine Parade
The prosecution claim that Mr Redfern kicked or stamped on Mrs Barnes during the evening, but when questioned by his defence barrister, he denied this
He told the jury: ‘That degree of liver damage wasn’t survivable.
‘The rupturing and damage to the liver is a reflection of the degree of force and reminded me of the impact damage you would see in a liver following a road traffic collision.’
Prosecutor Michael Jones said the incident was ‘utterly gratuitous’ and ‘totally unjustified’ by Redfern.
Redfern, of Barmouth, denies both the murder or manslaughter of Mrs Barnes.
The trial continues.
