Murder trial hears victim's blood was found on bannister, skirting board and cabinet in Blackpool house

Bloodstained clothing found in a tumble drier was found to match the DNA of a man allegedly murdered by his flatmate.
The sceneThe scene
The scene

Geoffrey Howard, 64, denies murdering "vulnerable" George Crawley, 63 at the home they shared on Clinton Avenue in Blackpool on January 15.

Jurors at Sessions House Court have been given a list of agreed facts and exhibits relating to the murder investigation about blood stains found at the scene by investigators.

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Prosecution barrister Stephen Parker said crime scene investigators attended the house at 10.50am.

He said the prosecution and defence agreed that blood recovered from the bannister at the top of the stairs, skirting board at the bottom of the stairs,, the bottom step in the hallway, and the edge of a cabinet in the hallway had been found to belong to George Crawley.

A heavily blood stained zip up top was found behind an internal door.

He said shorts and two socks which were found to have blood smears belonging to the victim were recovered from two wheelie bins.

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He added: " The grey trousers from a washing machine had three blood stains confirmed to be that of George Crawley.

"A grey T-shirt had blood stains to the front and back and were confirmed to be those of George Crawley."

Jurors were also told that since 2014 Mr Crawley had around 14 entries on his medical records regarding falls, injuries and hospital trips, including fractured ribs, dislocated shoulders and wounds to his head.

It is alleged Howard attacked him after the pair, in drink, had fallen out.

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However, Howard claims when he returned home he found Mr Crawley collapsed on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, and that he later found his friend dead in the garden after he had crawled outside in the rain to have a cigarette.

Scottish born Mr Crawley had suffered serious injuries to his head, chest, and limbs.

He had 15 separate fractures to 11 of his ribs and a fracture to his sternum which prosecutors argue are consistent with a punching, kicking or stamping assault.

He also had a fracture to his jaw that would have required ‘significant force’, facial injuries and a bleed on the brain.

(proceeding)