Married army veteran Paul Taylor, 56, was beaten to death with a hammer more than 10 times before his body was dragged to a shallow grave, a Carlisle jury has heard
An army veteran was beaten to death before his body was burned and dragged to a shallow grave, a court has heard.
Married Paul Taylor, 56, had been travelling to meet a man he met on the gay dating app Grindr when he was attacked and beaten 10 times around the head with a hammer, Carlisle Crown Court heard. Mr Taylor’s remains were found inside a shallow grave in Cumbria, seven months after he was last seen alive by his wife at their Annan home in Dumfriesshire.
Forensic anthropologist Linda Ainscough told the court: “There was evidence of blunt force traumatic injuries, forceful impacts, to the head, causing extensive fragmentation of bones in the cranium and lower part of the jaw.”
The figure of 10 was a “conservative estimate”, she agreed, drawing jurors attention to featuring of the skull. There were other areas of impact and, she told jurors: “It is quite likely to be 10-plus.” One fragment of cranium was found within a burn site metres from where remains were found.
“In my opinion, the body of Paul Taylor was burned in the area of burning at Finglandrigg Wood. At some point it was subsequently moved to the deposition site.”
“There was evidence of blunt force traumatic injuries, forceful impacts to the head, causing extensive fragmentation of bones in the cranium and lower part of the jaw.”
Jack Crawley, 20, admitted killing the army veteran but denies murder. The jury heard Crawley showed detectives where Mr Taylor’s body was hidden at Finglandrigg Wood, just west of Carlisle, on May 1. Mr Taylor’s remains were covered over with two large branches and two saplings being bent over to further prevent access to the body.
Susan Woodland, a Natural England reserve manager, said she had found a “burn site” with burned clothing while on a visit with primary school children. She added: “In my opinion, the body of Paul Taylor was burned in the area of burning at Finglandrigg Wood.”
Jurors were later shown CCTV footage of Crawley wearing an “obviously fake wig and beard” just hours before he skipped police bail around the new year. A Penrith train station employee said: “The beard looked like that of the character Hagrid in Harry Potter.”
Marcus Goodfellow, 20, has denied helping to dispose of Mr Taylor’s car. The trial continues.
