Man accused of widow's murder 'was normally drunk'

Mousumi Bakshi & Brian Farmer
BBC News, Cambridgeshire
SWNS A bald man wearing a dark top and glasses. He has an earring in his left ear.SWNS
David Newton has denied murdering Una Crown during a trial at Cambridge Crown Court

A 70-year-old man accused of murdering an 86-year-old widow was "normally" drunk, a woman has told a jury.

Retired postmistress Una Crown was found dead at her bungalow in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on 13 January 2013, a trial at Cambridge Crown Court has heard.

David Newton, who lived near Mrs Crown, denies murder.

Carol Hall, who was married to one of Mrs Crown's cousins, gave evidence about Mr Newton's drinking when describing an incident more than 20 years ago that she said left her "frightened".

Cambridgeshire Police/PA Media A brown-haired woman in a pink dress wearing a pearl necklace and matching earringsCambridgeshire Police/PA Media
Una Crown was found dead at her home in Wisbech

Mrs Hall spoke of an incident at her home in Wisbech in December 2000.

A statement she had given to police in 2013 was read to jurors by a prosecution lawyer.

In it, she described how she became "frightened" after Mr Newton sold her raffle tickets.

Mrs Hall explained how she had asked Mr Newton to shut the front door when he left, while she went to get changed in her bedroom.

She said she was in the bedroom, wearing just underwear, when she realised Mr Newton was still there.

Mrs Hall said Mr Newton told her that he loved her.

"I was shocked," Mrs Hall said, in her statement.

"I said 'get out'. On that occasion I was really frightened."

She added: "He was probably drunk. He normally is."

PA Media A man in a yellow jacket and dark trousers walking past a grey building. The words "Crown Court" are written on the side of the building.PA Media
David Newton's trial is taking place at Cambridge Crown Court

One of Mr Newton's neighbours also gave evidence about his drinking.

Paula Birch said Mr Newton would help with odd jobs.

"Sometimes he would be a little bit drunk," Miss Birch told the trial.

"You could smell the alcohol."

She told how she would sometimes go to bed early and open her bedroom window.

Miss Birch said Mr Newton would push back the curtain and talk to her through the window.

She said she would ask him to "please leave" but he would sometimes "hover outside" and smoke.

Miss Birch described his behaviour as "unnerving".

A snow-covered bungalow with a drive and snow-covered garden. A piece of blue-and-white tape  marked with the word "police" is strung across the entrance to the drive. Four police officers wearing yellow jackets and dark trousers are standing in the drive.
Police outside the bungalow in Wisbech where Una Crown lived

Mrs Crown's body was found in the hallway of her home in Magazine Lane, Wisbech, jurors have heard.

Police and firefighters also found evidence that fires had been started.

Prosecutors allege that Mr Newton, of Magazine Close, Wisbech, started them after murdering Mrs Crown.

An acting police sergeant who initially investigated believed Mrs Crown had died accidentally, jurors have heard.

But a post-mortem examination two days later showed she had been stabbed four times and her throat cut.

The trial continues.

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