An 86-year-old widow brutally murdered in her home demonstrated a fierce struggle against her assailant, as revealed in court proceedings. Una Crown, discovered lifeless in her bungalow on Magazine Lane, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire in 2013, bore the marks of a violent encounter. She had endured four stab wounds, one of which was a formidable 24cm (9.5in) in length, piercing deeply into her lungs and heart. Pathologist Dr. Nathaniel Cary, testifying at Cambridge Crown Court, detailed additional indications of defensive actions, including surface injuries on her face likely incurred during a desperate physical altercation with her attacker.
David Newton, aged 70 and a resident of Magazine Close in Wisbech, is presently on trial, vehemently denying the charge of murdering Mrs. Crown. The tragic event unfolded on January 13, 2013, with Mrs. Crown’s body being found a day following her presumed demise. Strikingly, her clothing had been set ablaze, adding a sinister element to the heinous crime. The grim discovery was made by her niece’s husband, who had arrived to escort Mrs. Crown for a Sunday lunch gathering, only to stumble upon the gruesome scene in her hallway.
During the subsequent post-mortem examination conducted on January 15, Dr. Cary confirmed that Mrs. Crown succumbed to fatal stab wounds to her neck and chest, compounded by a severed throat. The examination further unraveled a distressing narrative of physical trauma, with telltale signs of grappling evident in the form of bruises near her eyes and ear recesses. Dr. Cary articulated the severity of her injuries, categorizing the slashing of her throat as a multi-action event. Similarly, a series of stab wounds encircling her chest region resulted in fractured ribs, underlining the ferocity of the assault.
In response to prosecutor John Price KC’s query regarding the rib fractures, Dr. Cary attributed them to the forceful penetration inflicted upon Mrs. Crown, with one stab wound reaching a staggering depth of 24cm. Emphatically, Dr. Cary confirmed the utilization of a single blade in inflicting all the wounds, corroborating the calculated brutality of the attack. Notably, defensive wounds on Mrs. Crown’s right hand bore the hallmark of knife-induced injuries, suggesting a valiant effort to shield herself from harm.
Intensifying the barbarity of the crime, an attempt to immolate Mrs. Crown was discovered, with Dr. Cary positing that she had either expired or lay in the throes of death when the fire was ignited. The absence of soot in her airways substantiated this theory, aligning with the grim conclusion that she met her demise as a result of the combined trauma inflicted upon her. Dr. Cary’s meticulous examination negated any underlying health conditions contributing to her passing, unequivocally attributing her death to the lethal injuries sustained during the harrowing ordeal.
The accused, Mr
