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| Vicar's killer 'strewed scene with condoms' | Vicar's killer 'strewed scene with condoms' |
| (8 days later) | |
| A murdered clergyman was found carefully positioned on the floor of his vicarage with a bible on his chest, an image of Christ propped up beside him and condoms and streamers scattered around him, a court was told. | A murdered clergyman was found carefully positioned on the floor of his vicarage with a bible on his chest, an image of Christ propped up beside him and condoms and streamers scattered around him, a court was told. |
| After stabbing the Rev John Suddards, Stephen Farrow stayed at the vicarage overnight to watch DVDs and drink bottles of beer, the jury heard. | After stabbing the Rev John Suddards, Stephen Farrow stayed at the vicarage overnight to watch DVDs and drink bottles of beer, the jury heard. |
| Not long before the killing, Farrow carried out a burglary of a nearby cottage in which a note threatening to "kill Christian scum" was pinned to the kitchen table with knives. | Not long before the killing, Farrow carried out a burglary of a nearby cottage in which a note threatening to "kill Christian scum" was pinned to the kitchen table with knives. |
| Farrow, 48, is also accused of the murder of retired teacher Betty Yates, who was found at her isolated riverside home. She had been stabbed and her head was resting on a cushion, Bristol crown court heard. | Farrow, 48, is also accused of the murder of retired teacher Betty Yates, who was found at her isolated riverside home. She had been stabbed and her head was resting on a cushion, Bristol crown court heard. |
| Farrow admitted the manslaughter of Suddards but denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He pleaded not guilty to the murder of 77-year-old Yates. | Farrow admitted the manslaughter of Suddards but denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He pleaded not guilty to the murder of 77-year-old Yates. |
| Opening the case, prosecutor Michael Fitton QC said the two killings and burglary had "distinct" links. Suddards' body was discovered after builders arrived at the vicarage in Thornbury, south Gloucestershire, on 14 February. The 59-year-old was lying on his back, fully clothed. "By his head and neck there was a pool of blood and by his left arm was a kitchen knife," said Fitton. | Opening the case, prosecutor Michael Fitton QC said the two killings and burglary had "distinct" links. Suddards' body was discovered after builders arrived at the vicarage in Thornbury, south Gloucestershire, on 14 February. The 59-year-old was lying on his back, fully clothed. "By his head and neck there was a pool of blood and by his left arm was a kitchen knife," said Fitton. |
| "On his chest there lay a bible, the pages opened to the Letter of Jude so the pages were on his chest. Propped up was a canvas of Christ on the cross and effectively opposite that canvas was positioned a large mirror. | "On his chest there lay a bible, the pages opened to the Letter of Jude so the pages were on his chest. Propped up was a canvas of Christ on the cross and effectively opposite that canvas was positioned a large mirror. |
| "Those items were not normally in those positions. | "Those items were not normally in those positions. |
| "If one was to position oneself in the same way as the body and look to the right into the mirror then one might see the reflection of the canvas of Christ on the cross." | "If one was to position oneself in the same way as the body and look to the right into the mirror then one might see the reflection of the canvas of Christ on the cross." |
| Fitton said streamers discharged from party poppers were strewn over his body. The prosecutor said other items found at the scene were intended to "harm the reputation and memory" of the clergyman. | Fitton said streamers discharged from party poppers were strewn over his body. The prosecutor said other items found at the scene were intended to "harm the reputation and memory" of the clergyman. |
| "There was a parking fixed-penalty notice and magazines which showed male figures. Arranged on his crotch was a calendar which showed a male figure. | "There was a parking fixed-penalty notice and magazines which showed male figures. Arranged on his crotch was a calendar which showed a male figure. |
| There was a condom package." | There was a condom package." |
| He said that around the body were three DVDs with "homosexual connotations" and underwear. | He said that around the body were three DVDs with "homosexual connotations" and underwear. |
| Fitton said the prosecution recognised the defendant had a mental disorder. "But we do not accept his mental disorder diminishes his responsibility for what he did," he said. | Fitton said the prosecution recognised the defendant had a mental disorder. "But we do not accept his mental disorder diminishes his responsibility for what he did," he said. |
| The prosecutor told the jury Betty Yates was a 77-year-old widow, who lived alone at her isolated home, Riverscroft, on the banks of the river Severn in Bewdley, Worcestershire. | The prosecutor told the jury Betty Yates was a 77-year-old widow, who lived alone at her isolated home, Riverscroft, on the banks of the river Severn in Bewdley, Worcestershire. |
| She was last seen alive on 2 January filling in potholes on her drive but was found at the bottom of the stairs on 4 January, the court was told. | She was last seen alive on 2 January filling in potholes on her drive but was found at the bottom of the stairs on 4 January, the court was told. |
| Farrow, described as someone who travelled around the country staying in "all sorts of accommodation" and sometimes sleeping rough, knew the area where Yates lived. | Farrow, described as someone who travelled around the country staying in "all sorts of accommodation" and sometimes sleeping rough, knew the area where Yates lived. |
| Fitton said Farrow's case was that he visited Riverscroft on 30 December but not after that time. | Fitton said Farrow's case was that he visited Riverscroft on 30 December but not after that time. |
| Yates's body was found by police in her hall, her head resting on a cushion. She had been stabbed four times in the head, with the knife still embedded 7.5cm (3in) in her neck, Fitton said. | Yates's body was found by police in her hall, her head resting on a cushion. She had been stabbed four times in the head, with the knife still embedded 7.5cm (3in) in her neck, Fitton said. |
| The prosecutor said it was "significant" that there was no blood beneath the cushion. "We suggest it indicates her head has been put on the cushion, perhaps before she died." | The prosecutor said it was "significant" that there was no blood beneath the cushion. "We suggest it indicates her head has been put on the cushion, perhaps before she died." |
| The court heard a swab taken from the back of Yates's left hand represented a "one-in-a-billion match" as a mixture of DNA belonging to the woman and Farrow. Fitton said cash, jewellery and a radio were stolen in the burglary at Vine Cottage, near the vicarage, which was discovered on 2 January. | The court heard a swab taken from the back of Yates's left hand represented a "one-in-a-billion match" as a mixture of DNA belonging to the woman and Farrow. Fitton said cash, jewellery and a radio were stolen in the burglary at Vine Cottage, near the vicarage, which was discovered on 2 January. |
| On the kitchen table was a note in red ink pinned down with two kitchen knives. "It was written in a curious, disguised style of writing," said Fitton. | On the kitchen table was a note in red ink pinned down with two kitchen knives. "It was written in a curious, disguised style of writing," said Fitton. |
| The jury was shown an image of the note, written in capital letters with a "squirly symbol" in the top right-hand corner. It read: "Be thankful you didn't come back or we will have killed you, Christian scum. I fucking hate God." Farrow admits the burglary. | The jury was shown an image of the note, written in capital letters with a "squirly symbol" in the top right-hand corner. It read: "Be thankful you didn't come back or we will have killed you, Christian scum. I fucking hate God." Farrow admits the burglary. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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