Mobile phone footage of a 60-year-old man being punched and slapped during an attack which ultimately led to his death was shown at a murder trial today.
The jury at Northampton Crown Court, was shown a series of short clips of Glenn Clary sitting in a chair, with blood on his face, being assaulted.
The clips, alledgedly filmed by one of the defendants, first showed Mr Clary being hit in the face by two men and then, in a later clip, being slapped by a woman.
The prosecution claim the people pictured in the footage are the three people standing trial for his murder – John York, aged 23, of Crouch Road, Irthlingborough, Gary Monaghan, aged 64, also of Crouch Road, and Jennifer Ryan, aged 46, of Baker Street, Irthlingborough.
Mr Clary, of Garden Field Close, Irthlingborough, was discovered dead at a house in Crouch Road on August 26 last year.
The pathologist who performed the autopsy on the 60-year-old said the cause of death was internal bleeding, after blunt force trauma caused lacerations to his liver.
Doctor Stuart Hamilton, a pathologist for the Home Office, explained to the jury that the lacerations were probably caused by a “severe blow” from a punch, kick or stamp, or from a blunt object.
When asked if the injuries to Mr Clary were consistent with the assault on the phone footage, Dr Hamilton said: “It is entirely plausible. The blows delivered on the footage do appear to be consistent with the injuries Mr Clary sustained.”
Dr Hamilton told the court that Mr Clary had a number of bruises and cuts on both his face, back and abdomen, and some on his legs. Several of his ribs were also fractured. A further report from a neurologist showed signs of damage to the brain, the doctor explained.
He also said alcohol was found in Mr Clary’s blood levels which would have made him four-and-a-half times above the drink drive limit, adding that the victim showed signs of alcohol abuse. However, he added that the drink was not a factor in his death.
York, Monaghan and Ryan are all charged with murder. Ryan, York, and Neil Adams, aged 28, of Thomas Flawn Road, Irthlingborough, also face further charges of grievous bodily harm and false imprisonment in connection with an assault on Daniel Freeman, on August 18.
York also faces a charge of robbery.
York admits false imprisonment but denies all the other charges against him.
All the other defendants deny the charges against them.
The jurors were sent home for the weekend and the trial will continue on Tuesday, February 19.
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