Man, 70, goes on trial accused of murdering woman, 86, in Wisbech bungalow
David Newton denies murdering Una Crown at her home in Magazine Lane, in 2013
Last updated 14th Jan 2025
A 70-year-old man is accused of the murder of a widow whose body was found surrounded by blood in the hallway of her bungalow in 2013, a court has heard.
In a 999 call played to jurors at Cambridge Crown Court, a woman said of 86-year-old Una Crown: "I think she's been on fire."
David Newton denies murdering Mrs Crown at her home in Magazine Lane, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on January 12 2013.
He wore black-rimmed glasses, a dark-coloured jumper and jeans and was assisted by an intermediary as he listened to the prosecution opening from the secure dock.
John Price KC, prosecuting, said Mrs Crown's niece Judith Payne and her husband John Payne had been expecting Mrs Crown to join them for lunch on Sunday January 13 2013.
"This had been a standing arrangement for some time," he said.
The barrister said Mr Payne made the 10-minute drive to Mrs Crown's house to collect her but the bedroom curtains were drawn and there was no response when he knocked on the front door.
He tried the front and back door and found that both were locked, then called his wife at home.
She tried to call Mrs Crown's landline and found it was engaged, then rang Mr Payne back to tell him.
Mrs Payne told her husband to go next door as she "knew Mrs Crown habitually kept a spare front door key to her house with her neighbour, in case of emergency", Mr Price said.
Mrs Crown's neighbour, an elderly woman called Dorothy Swaine, lived with her daughter Christine Swaine, who was her full-time carer.
Mr Price said Christine Swaine located the spare key and gave it to Mr Payne.
A care agency worker, Julie Buckle, who was visiting the Swaines that day, "noticed that (Mr Payne) seemed shaken and panicky", Mr Price said.
"She offered to go with him when he opened the door, because he was concerned about what he was going to find," the barrister said.
Mr Price said Mr Payne opened Mrs Crown's front door using the spare key, and Ms Buckle later described what she saw in a statement to police.
"The door opened easily," she said.
"I could see Una lying on the floor about four to five feet from the front door, with her feet towards the front door, her head towards the kitchen.
"Una was lying with her face down into the carpet, her arms by her side, her legs straight out behind her.
"I could see either blood or body fluids around her and assumed she wasn't alive.
"I said, 'we need the police and ambulance'."
She said Mr Payne was unable to call on his mobile phone, and she asked him if Mrs Crown had a phone, which Ms Buckle used to call 999.
In this call, she described a fire on the kitchen wall, a burnt tea towel on a rail and burnt debris on the floor in the hallway.
In audio of the 999 call played to jurors, Ms Buckle said: "I think she's been on fire."
The trial, estimated to last four to five weeks, continues.