Man 'strangled victim out of anger', court hears
A man accused of murder said he strangled his victim out of anger because he held him responsible for getting him sent to jail, a jury has been told.
Wayne Woodgate, 54, was seen getting into a van in Tunbridge Wells in Kent after an altercation with Stephen Castle on 17 October last year, and his body was found six days later in a rural location in Peasmarsh, East Sussex.
A trial at Maidstone Crown Court was told that Mr Castle blamed Mr Woodgate for a police raid on his home several years earlier which ended with him going to prison.
Mr Castle, 59, of Kipping's Cross near Tunbridge Wells, admits manslaughter but denies murder.
A jury was told that, in a police interview after his arrest, Mr Castle said Mr Woodgate owed him money for a drug deal but had instead "grassed him up".
Mr Woodgate had been afraid of meeting him again, the trial heard, but they bumped into each other by chance in Tunbridge Wells.
The prosecution told the jury that Mr Castle had taken Mr Woodgate in the van to his home address and, when the two were alone, strangled and killed him.
'Scared'
Jurors were also shown CCTV of two men meeting in Tunbridge Wells on the day of Mr Woodgate's disappearance.
The court heard how a bystander called 999 as was concerned about seeing Mr Castle swearing at Mr Woodgate and that it did not look like the victim had much choice but to get in the vehicle.
Prosecutors said Mr Woodgate's son, Joseph, had driven to Tunbridge Wells to collect his father and that it looked like he had been "scared" while speaking to Mr Castle.
Joseph Woodgate was watching the exchange through his rear-view mirror and then glanced down to his mobile phone. When he looked back up both his father and Mr Castle were gone, the court heard.
Mr Woodgate's son explained that he then called his father who said: "I've got to go and see somebody, they've told me to turn my phone off."
No further phone calls were picked up, the jury was told.
Mr Castle was arrested just before 20:00 BST the same day on suspicion of kidnapping.
The defendant later told police Mr Woodgate was safe when he had dropped him off earlier.
Prosecutors say Mr Castle then went back to conceal Mr Woodgate's body further in undergrowth after he was released on police bail.
The trial continues.
Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.
Related internet links
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Missing Navy sailor found dead in Virginia, another sailor in custody
What happened to Angelia Resendiz is a mystery, but her mother wants to get to the bottom of it. Resendiz was last seen on May 29 in her barracks in Miller Hall at Naval Station Norfolk, according to a missing person's alert issued by Virginia State Police on June 3. The alert was rescinded Tuesday, when the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) announced the medical examiner identified a body recovered Monday as the sailor. Another sailor was taken into custody. Esmeralda Castle says she wants to talk with the person believed to be involved in the death of her 21-year-old daughter. She doesn't want to know how her daughter died and was left in a wooded area miles from her naval base - she says she wants to find closure. 'This can't happen again,' Castle said. Her daughter dreamed about one day cooking elaborate meals for presidents and world leaders in her role as a Navy cook, Castle said. Virginia's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner told CNN 'the cause and manner of death is pending,' but would not elaborate further. NCIS placed a sailor in custody pending formal charges, but has not identified the individual. 'A Navy Sailor has been placed in pretrial confinement in connection with the death of Seaman Resendiz. Charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice are pending,' NCIS told CNN in a statement Thursday. Castle said her daughter's friends started calling her on May 29 to tell her Resendiz was last seen with a sailor in the barracks. It was out of the ordinary for her 'fun-loving' daughter not to call, she said, or to miss a day on Snapchat with her sister—they had a 400-day streak on Snapchat that was now broken. 'NCIS remains committed to uncovering the facts surrounding the tragic death of Seaman Resendiz to ensure accountability and justice,' NCIS said in a statement to CNN. The case is drawing parallels to the 2020 death of Vanessa Guillen, the 20-year-old private first class who was last seen in the parking lot of her barracks, and was later found in a shallow grave near Fort Cavazos in Texas. The main suspect in Guillen's disappearance was identified as a fellow Army specialist. Resendiz's body was discovered in a wooded area over six miles away from the barracks where she was last seen. 'I don't know if she was alive… I don't know if that's where her life was taken, but that's where she was found,' Castle said. Geraldine Alston witnessed agents carrying a white body bag from the wooded area behind her home on June 9, she told CNN. She later learned on the news the body recovered was Resendiz. 'I'm still in shock,' she said. Alston's back door is about 200 feet from the start of the nearest tree line. The mother of six walked toward the area where the body was found while talking to CNN by phone. She remembered it was hot, humid, and raining intermittently that afternoon as agents walked out of the woods with what appeared to be evidence in paper bags. Minutes into her walk, she came upon something on the grass that made her stop and think of Resendiz's mom. It was a bouquet of fresh flowers. 'Rest In Peace Angelina,' was written on a piece of cardboard. 'I don't feel safe,' Alston said. 'She was lying behind my house in the woods.' Castle says she looks at her daughter's picture every moment of every day. 'She's gone. She's in a better place,' she tells herself. Resendiz was new to the military. She was 21, filled with dreams, and loved singing, music, and painting, according to her mother. She joined the Navy in August 2023, obtained 'recruit' and 'Naval Technical' training, and was assigned to the USS James E. Williams in February 2024, a US Navy spokesperson said. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and coworkers of Culinary Specialist Seaman Angelina Resendiz, assigned to the USS James E. Williams (DDG 95),' Commander, Naval Surface Atlantic Public Affairs told CNN in a statement. Castle is raising money through a GoFundMe page to fight for justice for her daughter. She is planning to hold a vigil on June 20 in the Rio Grande Valley, the area where Resendiz grew up. The funeral service has yet to be announced until her daughter's body is released, she said. As for why she wants to speak to the person believed to be responsible for her daughter's death, she says she wants to forgive. 'I… want to get to a place where I can forgive,' Castle said.
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Michael Tait, Christian Singer, Admits to "Unwanted" Touching of Men
Originally appeared on E! Online Michael Tait is taking accountability. After he was accused of sexual assault and drug abuse by multiple people, the Newsboys singer spoke out on the allegations, which the accusers said took place between 2004 and 2014. "Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity are sadly, largely true," Tait wrote in a statement shared to his Instagram June 10. "For some two decades I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol, and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way." The four-time Grammy winner went on to say that he's taking full responsibility for the incidents described in the reports, which were first published by Christian media outlet The Roys Report on June 4. "I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them," Tait continued. "I will simply call it what God calls it—sin. I don't blame anyone or anything but myself. While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them." More from E! Online Why Robin Roberts and Wife Amber Laign Believe Having Separate Apartments Is the Secret to Marriage Beyoncé Celebrates Sir and Rumi Carter's 8th Birthday Onstage During Cowboy Carter Show The Bachelor's Grant Ellis and Juliana Pasquarosa Break Up 3 Months After Finale Engagement And the 59-year-old also noted that he's taken steps to correct his behavior. For one, he stepped away from Newsboys in January, leaving behind remaining members Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Adam Agee. "I did so to get help," Tait said of quitting the Christian rock group. "I was not healthy, physically or spiritually, and was tired of leading a double life. I spent six weeks at a treatment center in Utah, receiving help that may have saved my life from ultimate destruction." And while the former DC Talk frontman said he's been "clean and sober since," he admitted that he still has "lots of hard work" ahead of him, and he said he'll forever live with the shame of "living two distinctly different lives." As Tait put it, "I have hurt so many people in so many ways, and I will live with that shameful reality the rest of my life. I can only dream and pray for human forgiveness, because I certainly don't deserve it." "I have even accepted the thought that God may be the only One who ultimately and completely forgives me," he continued. "Still, I want to say I'm sorry to everyone I have hurt. I am truly sorry." Less than a week before Tait's confession, The Roys Report published a report accusing Tait of sexual assault and drug abuse that was sourced by over 50 people, three of whom were men who said they experienced his nonconsensual sexual advances when they were in their early 20s. Since the report's release, Tait's Newsboy bandmates have also spoken out on the allegations. 'Last night our hearts were shattered when we read the news alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions by our former lead singer, Michael Tait,' the band wrote on Instagram June 5. 'First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims who have bravely shared their stories. If you are a victim, we urge you to come forward." They added, "We absolutely do not condone any form of sexual assault.' For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Wisconsin State Troopers team up with kids for 'Cops & Bobbers' event in Marquette County
MARQUETTE CO., MI. (WFRV) – Michigan State Police troopers from the North Central Region joined local youth last week for the annual 'Cops & Bobbers' event, a community outreach program designed to foster positive relationships between law enforcement and children, while encouraging a love for fishing over crime. Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis provides details on local immigration enforcement policies According to a Facebook post from Wisconsin State Patrol, the event featured a day of casting lines, reeling in fish, and sharing laughs. Organizers say the goal is to get kids 'hooked' on fishing instead of drugs or delinquency. After what troopers jokingly called a 'reely good steak-out,' participants found a prime fishing spot that led to plenty of smiles and big catches. 'Cops & Bobbers' is part of a statewide initiative to build trust and create lasting memories with local youth. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
