Accused 'more concerned for cats'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_west/7277821.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A pensioner accused of murder was more concerned for the welfare of his cats than his dead partner, a court heard.

David Henton, 72, had his home and car bugged by police who grew suspicious he had killed Joyce Sutton, from Skewen.

The jury had earlier listened to secret recordings of Mr Henton, from Neath, talking to his cats, which police claim include a confession he hit Mrs Sutton.

The former lorry driver, who denies murder, was giving evidence for the third day at Swansea Crown Court.

Widow and mother-of-one, Mrs Sutton, 65, was found bludgeoned to death in bed at home in January 2006.

Mr Henton claimed he found Mrs Sutton dead after discovering the back door window of the property had been smashed. He then called the police.

Mr Henton was charged after officers secretly recorded largely solitary conversations with cats Twinkie and Pudsey in January 2007.

I just wanted to stay in on my own with my cats David Henton, defendant

The court has already been told officers also found microscopic glass particles from the broken window on Mr Henton's clothes and car mats.

On Tuesday, Paul Lewis QC, prosecuting, continued to cross-examine Mr Henton who had previously said if his pets could talk they would be able to say who Mrs Sutton's killer really was.

Mr Lewis asked him why he had appeared to be more concerned about the cats in the aftermath of the killing than his murdered partner.

On the day of the murder, he had been questioned by police but had appeared eager to return home with the couple's cats as soon as he collected their basket, Mr Lewis said.

"You have said a number of times that your concern that day was for the cats," Mr Lewis said.

Secret recordings

"Did you ask any police officer or ambulance man what was going to happen to Joyce's body? Did you ask anybody whether she would have suffered?"

Mr Henton replied: "I don't know, sir."

Mr Lewis asked: "You didn't ask about her at all did you? Your concern was for the cats, Mr Henton.

"Why was it that you did not make any inquiries about Joyce? What would happen? Where would she be going next?"

Mr Henton again replied: "I don't know."

The jury had previously listened to an exhaustive selection of the secret recordings which were often of poor quality.

Joyce Sutton was found bludgeoned to death in 2006

The prosecution and defence team have argued over the interpretation of the recordings.

Excerpts the prosecution claimed illustrate Mr Henton's guilt, such as "I hit my Joyce", were interpreted by the defence as being "I miss my Joyce".

Earlier in the trial, Mr Henton had described how his partner's son Darren had borrowed several thousand pounds from him but never repaid the money.

On Tuesday, Mr Lewis told the court that after Mrs Sutton's murder, Mr Henton had shunned her family despite their efforts to console him.

Mr Henton said: "I didn't want to fall out with them, I just wanted to stay in on my own with my cats."

The trial continues.