Thu, 10 Jan 2019
No5 Barristers’ Chambers’ Michael Duck QC is leading the prosecution of Darren Barnes charged with murdering Mr Edwin Bradley,47, whom he "believed to be a sex offender.”
Mr Duck told Wolverhampton Crown Court 65-year-old Edwin Bradley was struck over the head with a bottle before being kicked and stamped on during the attack in a flat at St Thomas Close, Coalpool, and suffered 23 fractures to his ribs which caused him catastrophic internal injuries.
It is alleged he was attacked by 48-year-old Darren Barnes, who had become a regular visitor to the flat during the days running up to the attack, which occurred between July 2 and 4 last year.
Barnes left the area on July 4 and headed for Derbyshire. He allegedly abandoned his current address in Bloxwich Road, Walsall and changed his phone.
Barnes was tracked down by police to a pub in Matlock on July 27, revealed Mr Duck, who claimed: "One of the officers went over to him and said he wanted to speak to him. The defendant’s response was: ‘Are you arresting me for murder?’ It was a telling response.”
Barnes told police he believed Mr Bradley had been involved in sexual offences, the court heard.
Barnes denies murder and theft of a computer hard drive.
The case continues.
To read more on this case please see https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2019/01/08/edwin-bradley-found-murdered-in-his-own-flat/
