Murder trial: Accused’s fingerprints found on mop handle (From The Bolton News)

Murder trial: Accused’s fingerprints found on mop handle

9:04am Tuesday 16th March 2010

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ONE of three young Atherton men accused of a sadistic murder told a court he saw a co-accused attacking their alleged victim.

Shaun Beatty claimed Owen Skeate assaulted Shaun Fitton with a mop handle, but said he had not realised Mr Fitton had been seriously injured.

But John McDermott, defending Skeate, suggested to Beatty that it was he who used the mop handle on Mr Fitton.

Mr McDermott said that Beatty’s fingerprints were found in two separate places on the mop handle and Skeate's fingerprints were not on it.

Beatty, aged 20, who was living with girlfriend Rebecca Birt, aged 22, in West Bank Road, Atherton, where the alleged attack took place, said the next thing he remembered after the mop incident was the police arriving.

He said he could not remember helping 23-year-old Skeate to put Mr Fitton into a wheelie bin and pull it along the road but agreed he did match the description of one of the men involved.

Beatty, Birt and Skeate, of Bowling Green Row, Atherton, and Michael Gerrard, aged 22, of Rivington Street, Atherton, all deny murder.

The jury at Liverpool Crown Court has heard that 26-year-old Mr Fitton, also known as Shaun Anthony Hall, died from multiple organ failure following a combination of head and abdominal injuries.

Beatty told the jury that he punched Mr Fitton after he drunkenly propositioned his girlfriend but denied striking him hard and later made up with Mr Fitton.

He said he went upstairs and returned to see Skeate assaulting Mr Fitton with the handle.

The case continues.

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