Widow 'grappled' with attacker, murder trial hears

An 86-year-old widow killed in her home had tried to defend herself from her attacker, a court has heard.

Una Crown, who was found dead at her bungalow in Magazine Lane, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire in 2013, had been stabbed four times and her throat was cut.

Pathologist Dr Nathaniel Cary told Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday that one stab wound was 24cm (9.5in) long, penetrating her lungs and heart, and there was evidence of superficial bruises and cuts to her face, most likely caused by "grappling" with her attacker, he said.

David Newton, 70, of Magazine Close in Wisbech, standing trial, denies murdering Mrs Crown.

Mrs Crown, who lived in a bungalow on Magazine Lane, was found on 13 January 2013 - the day after she was believed to have died. Her clothing had been set on fire.

Her niece's husband had gone to collect her for Sunday lunch when her body was discovered in her hallway.

A post-mortem examination was carried out two days later, on 15 January.

Dr Cary told the court Mrs Crown died as a result of stab wounds to the neck and chest, and that her throat was cut.

Bruising found on the area around her eyes and towards the recessed part of one ear and were the result of "grappling", he said.

Describing her injuries, Dr Cary said: "In simple terms, it would be called a cut throat. It has appeared in more than one action."

He also said there was "a line of three stab wounds around the chest area, her ribs are fractured".

Prosecutor John Price KC asked: "What was the cause of the fracturing of the ribs?"

Dr Cary replied: "The amount of the force of the penetration to the ribs", which he said punctured at one point her lungs and heart.

One of the stab wounds was 24cm deep and, he told the court, therefore "the blade was at least that long".

Mr Price asked: "Considering the appearance of all the wounds... were they caused by a single blade?"

Dr Cary replied: "Yes".

He further told the court injuries on the victim's right hand were all caused by a knife and were "very typical of what we call defensive injuries".

An attempt had also been made to set Mrs Crown on fire, and he concluded "she was dead or dying when the fire was set" as no soot was found in her airways.

Dr Cary said his examination of Mrs Crown showed "no evidence of relevant natural disease... that led to death".

"Death is due to the combination of stab wounds to the neck and chest," he said, and "incise wounds to the right hand are consistent with defensive injuries... against attack".

The accused, Mr Newton, who lived near Mrs Crown, was charged in 2024 after DNA matching his profile was found on nail clippings taken from Mrs Crown in 2013.

The trial continues.

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