Julia James murder trial: Man admits killing PCSO

A man killed police community support officer Julia James after "ambushing" her in woodland while she walked her dog, a court heard.

Jurors were told Mrs James, 53, was subjected to a "brutal attack" in woods in Snowdown, Kent, in April last year.

Callum Wheeler admitted responsibility for the death at Canterbury Crown Court, but denied murder.

The court heard Mrs James was murdered with a "railway jack", which was later found in the 22-year-old's bedroom.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan QC told the jury: "The evidence suggests that her attacker was waiting in the woods for someone to attack and then ambushed her.

She said a "heavy, blunt object" was used to murder Mrs James, and alleged "the weapon was a large railway jack".

This item was later found in the defendant's bedroom, Ms Morgan said.

Prosecutors allege Mr Wheeler was seen wandering around the area carrying the rail jack 24 hours before Mrs James' death.

A man called Neil McMahon saw a man walking along the verge of Spinney Lane towards Aylesham carrying a long blue bag with a bright object protruding from it on the afternoon of 26 April.

Ms Morgan said, if it is correct the object was the rail jack: "It means the defendant was roaming around this area armed with that metal bar 24 hours before he came to attack Julia James."

The jury heard the day after Mrs James' death, Mr Wheeler was seen walking around with a blue holdall with a long object protruding from it, covered with a Tesco carrier bag.

Ms Morgan said: "The defendant went out again carrying the weapon he had used to kill Julia James. Why he did that is known only to him.

"It could be he was goading the police who were in the vicinity, or it could be he was looking for somewhere to dispose of the weapon.

"He kept a check on the police cordon. He ran away from police officers and concerned members of the public.

"You will want to consider why he was behaving in that manner."

Ms Morgan told the court Mr Wheeler barricaded himself in his room when officers went to his house in Aylesham.

She said: "He made comments that amounted to clear denials, saying he was not guilty and someone had ratted on him.

"But then other comments saying things like: 'Sometimes I do things I cannot control'."

She told the court Mr Wheeler said to one officer: "Five of you ran in here and I didn't even use a... weapon, when there was a weapon right there", allegedly referring to the railway jack.

Ms Morgan went through forensic evidence found on the jack and Mrs James' clothing, including Mr Wheeler's DNA found on her boots, jacket and the white vest she was wearing underneath a jumper.

The court also heard Mrs James had seen a man who is alleged to be her killer, Mr Wheeler, in the woods in the months prior to her death.

Ms Morgan told the jury Mr Wheeler repeatedly visited Ackholt Wood, where Mrs James walked her dog. She was found with her Jack Russell dog Toby by her side.

She said on one of those occasions "he saw and was seen by Julia James herself".

Mrs James had been "aware of the presence of a strange male" and had described the man to her husband Paul as a "really weird dude", she added.

She later pointed the man out to Mr James during a walk together about two months before her death.

It was claimed the moment Mrs James tried to escape her killer was captured in heart rate and walking speed data recorded by her Apple Watch, which had been tracking her movements and biometrics.

Ms Morgan said Mrs James's heart rate had been "relatively stable" at 97 beats per minute prior to the attack.

Moments later it had "launched" to 145 beats per minute, she said, adding: "And that launch is something I will come back to as to where she was and details the escape she was doubtless trying to make at that moment.

"It was at that point that her heart rate surged."

Ms Morgan said of Mr Wheeler: "Although he denied responsibility for the killing for some time, he does now accept he was the person that killed Julia James, however he does not accept he is guilty of the offence of murder."

The prosecution claims he intended to kill her or at least cause her really serious harm.

Ms Morgan told the court: "He waited for Julia James or another vulnerable female to be in those woods. Waited to ambush her. He chased her down.

"She ran, desperate to get away from her attacker. Unable to outrun him, caught by surprise wearing wellington boots, he struck her.

"She fell to the ground, she broke her wrist.

"Then when she was face down on the ground he struck her again and again. She had no chance of survival.

"When he hit her in that way repeatedly using that weapon he knew that and he intended it."

Several members of Mrs James's family have attended court to hear the prosecution open the case.

The trial continues.

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