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| Eystna Blunnie murder case: Tony McLernon 'beat' pregnant ex-girlfriend | Eystna Blunnie murder case: Tony McLernon 'beat' pregnant ex-girlfriend |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A heavily-pregnant woman was beaten to death by her ex-boyfriend in a "brutal and sustained" attack, a court heard. | A heavily-pregnant woman was beaten to death by her ex-boyfriend in a "brutal and sustained" attack, a court heard. |
| Eystna Blunnie, 20, was found with fatal head injuries near her home in Howard Way, Harlow, Essex, on 27 June. | Eystna Blunnie, 20, was found with fatal head injuries near her home in Howard Way, Harlow, Essex, on 27 June. |
| Chelmsford Crown Court heard she had been in an abusive relationship with 24-year-old Tony McLernon. | |
| Mr McLernon, of North Grove, Harlow, denies murdering Ms Blunnie and a charge of child destruction by wilfully causing the death of an unborn child. | Mr McLernon, of North Grove, Harlow, denies murdering Ms Blunnie and a charge of child destruction by wilfully causing the death of an unborn child. |
| Mr McLernon arranged to meet Ms Blunnie in the street in the early hours of June 27 last year, prosecutor Andrew Jackson told the court. | |
| The couple, who started dating in 2010, broke up in April last year. | |
| Mr McLernon knew she was pregnant with his child. | |
| 'Outline of knuckles' | |
| Opening the trial, Mr Jackson said Mr McLernon "repeatedly kicked and stamped on her in an act of brutal and sustained violence. | |
| "He knew he was not only killing her but their unborn child as well." | |
| Nearby residents reported hearing screaming and punching noises on the morning of Ms Blunnie's death. | |
| Mr Jackson told jurors the couple's relationship was "marked by controlling, bullying and violent behaviour". | |
| He said: "Within a month of the relationship beginning, family members saw Eystna with bruising to her arm and within that bruising they saw the outline of knuckles." | |
| The couple's relationship ended having reached "a considerable and violent crisis", said Mr Jackson. | |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |