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Dumped boy 'murdered over drugs' | Dumped boy 'murdered over drugs' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Two drug addicts killed a 17-year-old boy from Birmingham and dumped his body in a recycling bin over his refusal to hand over drugs, a court has heard. | |
Nathan Lyons' body was dumped in Redditch, Worcestershire, and found almost two weeks later at a waste depot in Crayford, London, on 13 May 2008. | |
Worcester Crown Court heard he had been minding drugs for a gang. Drugs were found on his body. | |
Scott Hancox, 34 and Amanda Allden, 29, both deny murder. | Scott Hancox, 34 and Amanda Allden, 29, both deny murder. |
Prosecuting, Stephen Linehan QC said Nathan had been murdered at a top-floor flat belonging to Mr Hancox in Fownhope Close, Redditch, late on 30 April or during the early hours of 1 May. | |
Both of them covered it up... and explained to the drug people in Birmingham that Lyons had disappeared Stephen Linehan QC | Both of them covered it up... and explained to the drug people in Birmingham that Lyons had disappeared Stephen Linehan QC |
Mr Linehan said both defendants were drug users and that heroin and crack cocaine, supplied by a Birmingham-based gang, were sold through the flat's letterbox. | |
He also said Ms Allden, of Epsom Close, Catshill, Bromsgrove, was a "voracious" consumer of crack cocaine, leaving Mr Hancox unable to pay for the drugs with which he had been supplied. | He also said Ms Allden, of Epsom Close, Catshill, Bromsgrove, was a "voracious" consumer of crack cocaine, leaving Mr Hancox unable to pay for the drugs with which he had been supplied. |
Nathan had been sent by the drugs gang to "mind" the drugs, the court heard. | Nathan had been sent by the drugs gang to "mind" the drugs, the court heard. |
"Only two people know what happened in that flat," said Mr Linehan. | |
"The reason for attacking him was undoubtedly his refusal to hand over drugs that could be smoked by these two (defendants) rather than sold." | |
'Tailor's dummy' | 'Tailor's dummy' |
After the killing, the jury heard, Nathan's body was dumped in a wheelie bin nearby. | |
It remained there for a few days and was not noticed when it was collected because an automatic lifting system was used. | It remained there for a few days and was not noticed when it was collected because an automatic lifting system was used. |
His body then went through items of machinery, leaving a pathologist unable to determine a cause of death. | His body then went through items of machinery, leaving a pathologist unable to determine a cause of death. |
The court heard a worker at Crayford originally mistook the body for a tailor's dummy but the police were called and the area sealed off. | The court heard a worker at Crayford originally mistook the body for a tailor's dummy but the police were called and the area sealed off. |
The find attracted national attention and Ms Allden arranged to speak to police as a witness. | The find attracted national attention and Ms Allden arranged to speak to police as a witness. |
She told them she stayed in a bedroom cowering while Nathan was attacked in the living room. | She told them she stayed in a bedroom cowering while Nathan was attacked in the living room. |
Mr Linehan said blood-spattered wallpaper had been stripped out of the flat and furniture had been removed after the attack. | Mr Linehan said blood-spattered wallpaper had been stripped out of the flat and furniture had been removed after the attack. |
"Both of them covered it up.. and explained to the drug people in Birmingham that Lyons had disappeared," he said. | "Both of them covered it up.. and explained to the drug people in Birmingham that Lyons had disappeared," he said. |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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