Latest news with #IpswichCrownCourt
BBC News
29-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Murder suspect was on the run from police, Ipswich court hears
A man accused of murdering a woman in a "vicious and brutal attack" had been living off-grid while "on the run" from police for two years, a court has Barclay, 56, of no fixed address, has been charged with murdering Anita Rose, 57, after she was found seriously injured in Brantham, Suffolk on 24 July. She died at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge four days for the prosecution at Ipswich Crown Court earlier, Christopher Paxton KC said Mr Barclay kicked, stamped on and struck Ms Rose as she lay on the ground, and he kept her belongings as trophies. Mr Barclay has denied murder. Mr Paxton said Ms Rose left her home in Brantham in the early morning of 24 July to take her dog, Bruce, on a walk "as she often did".He told the jury that she was then subjected to "numerous kicks, stamps and blows being delivered to her face, head and body", which left her with injuries akin "to that seen following road traffic accidents". Mr Barclay's walking boots were the suspected murder weapon, the jury heard. The prosecution stated that the pattern on the sole of the defendant's boots were compared with the marks left on Ms Rose's face. The jury was told that Mr Barclay lived mostly off-grid and in the countryside because for "two years he'd been unlawfully at large".Mr Paxton added the defendant was trying to avoid "the police and authorities, trying to avoid being recalled back to prison". The prosecution described him as "cunning and resourceful" and said he carried dog biscuits with Barclay had kept items belonging to Ms Rose "as trophies", including a pink jacket, the court was told. After Ms Rose was left seriously injured, Mr Barclay had searched on the internet "How long does DNA last at a crime scene?". The trial continues. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man accused of raping teen at Latitude Festival
The jury at the trial of a man accused of raping a teenager at a music festival have retired to consider their verdict. Alex Stokes, 32, of Burns Road, Wellingborough, denies raping or engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl and engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity and the sexual assault of another 15-year-old girl. Ipswich Crown Court heard that Mr Stokes had been working as a steward at the Latitude Festival in Suffolk in 2022. His defence barrister argued that whilst the defendant did have consensual sex with one of the girls, he did not believe she was 15. While summing up the evidence heard across the trial, Judge Nicola Talbot-Hadley said that one of the girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she and a friend had been at the festival in July 2022 where they started speaking to Mr Stokes. The teenager said they believed Mr Stokes was a security guard. The girl said they had been drinking alcohol and told the defendant they were both 15, she said he provided them with more drinks. She said after kissing Mr Stokes he then asked her to sit on him and he penetrated her, she said it was in a public place and he told her not to get up or security would see and she would be kicked out of the festival. The court heard that whilst this was happening Mr Stokes had asked the girl to bring her friend closer, he is then alleged to have sexually assaulted the other teenager. Mr Stokes denied that incident happened with the second girl and said the girls asked him to guess their ages and he said 18 and 19. He said he was not corrected by them and was not told they were 15. He was arrested on 27 July 2022 and admits initially lying in his first police interview by saying he had not had sex with one of the girls, he said he lied because he was "scared". Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man accused of raping teen at Latitude Festival
The jury at the trial of a man accused of raping a teenager at a music festival have retired to consider their verdict. Alex Stokes, 32, of Burns Road, Wellingborough, denies raping or engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl and engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity and the sexual assault of another 15-year-old girl. Ipswich Crown Court heard that Mr Stokes had been working as a steward at the Latitude Festival in Suffolk in 2022. His defence barrister argued that whilst the defendant did have consensual sex with one of the girls, he did not believe she was 15. While summing up the evidence heard across the trial, Judge Nicola Talbot-Hadley said that one of the girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she and a friend had been at the festival in July 2022 where they started speaking to Mr Stokes. The teenager said they believed Mr Stokes was a security guard. The girl said they had been drinking alcohol and told the defendant they were both 15, she said he provided them with more drinks. She said after kissing Mr Stokes he then asked her to sit on him and he penetrated her, she said it was in a public place and he told her not to get up or security would see and she would be kicked out of the festival. The court heard that whilst this was happening Mr Stokes had asked the girl to bring her friend closer, he is then alleged to have sexually assaulted the other teenager. Mr Stokes denied that incident happened with the second girl and said the girls asked him to guess their ages and he said 18 and 19. He said he was not corrected by them and was not told they were 15. He was arrested on 27 July 2022 and admits initially lying in his first police interview by saying he had not had sex with one of the girls, he said he lied because he was "scared". Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
ITV News
08-05-2025
- ITV News
Father-and-son vigilante murderers David and Edward King see appeal bids dismissed
Police body cam footage released after sentence shows the moment David King tries to explain how he stabbed a suspected thief seen trying door handles A father and son who murdered a thief who had been trying car doors near their home have lost bids to appeal against their convictions. David and Edward King were jailed for life for the murder of Neil Charles, whom they attacked in the early hours of 20 June 2021, in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. Ipswich Crown Court heard that Mr Charles, 47, was stabbed with a dagger and died in hospital two days later. David King was jailed for a minimum of 21 years in April 2023, with Edward King sentenced to at least 19 years behind bars, less time already spent in custody. The pair sought to challenge their convictions at the Court of Appeal earlier this month, claiming they were unsafe, but three senior judges dismissed the appeal bids in a ruling on Thursday. Lord Justice Warby, sitting with Mr Justice Goose and Judge Dennis Watson KC, said they were 'satisfied that the convictions are not arguably unsafe'. In their judgment, Lord Justice Warby said that on the night of the murder, David and Edward King twice left their home in Radnor Close, Bury St Edmunds, to search for someone they had seen trying car doors, including those of a vehicle they owned, on CCTV. He added that the pair eventually found and attacked Mr Charles, with Edward King – who was 18 at the time of the killing and 20 when he was sentenced – slicing Mr Charles' knee with a '27-inch Samurai sword', and David King, aged 56 at the time of sentence, stabbing Mr Charles in the chest with a 'bayonet-style' dagger. At a hearing at the Court of Appeal on 2 May, Kieran Vaughan KC, for both men, said that the convictions were unsafe due to 'bad character' evidence wrongly being admitted at trial. Lord Justice Warby said this included text messages between Edward and David King, which 'expressed hostility and violent thoughts towards thieves and burglars', and that 'numerous knives and other weapons had been acquired and kept at the family home', including machetes. In the ruling, the judge said that the evidence concerning weapons 'was capable of demonstrating an obsessive and unhealthy interest in weapons', and dismissed the appeal bids. Edward King also sought to challenge the length of his sentence, with Mr Vaughan arguing that his 'age and lack of maturity' were not properly taken into account, and that he played a 'secondary role' in the killing. But this appeal bid was also dismissed, with Lord Justice Warby stating that the sentencing judge had not 'arguably erred'.
