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Willenhall murder trial told how neighbours discovered battered Bill Davis

A neighbour of former soldier Bill Davis fought back tears as she told murder trial jurors how she found the 92-year-old dying in his Willenhall home.

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The decorated veteran had been badly battered around the face and head in a back room of his semi-detached house.

Drug addict neighbour Charlotte Frazier-Doody is accused of his murder.

Rita Millington, who had lived next to the victim in Hobley Street for more than 30 years, gave evidence from behind a screen at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.

She said: "When I got to the back room I saw him lying on the floor. I thought 'Oh God, he has fallen down'."

Mrs Millington's voice started to break at this point as she fought back tears before adding: "He was injured and on the floor. I saw the blood and wanted to get help."

She said she then went to phone for an ambulance from her house.

"As I opened Bill's front door to leave I heard somebody say 'Is everything alright, what's the matter?'," Mrs Millington continued. "It was Charlotte's voice."

Frazier-Doody, aged 36, denies murder. Mrs Millington had a key to Mr Davis's home and had been asked to check on him by another neighbour, Elsie Williamson, after hearing "dullish sounding knocks".

She said in a statement: "I got the impression somebody was knocking on a carpeted floor. Then I saw that his kitchen blind was drawn which was unusual."

Around two hours later,at around 6pm, she and Mrs Millington went into the house. Mrs Williamson's statement continued: "I saw Bill in a pool of blood on the floor. He was still breathing but did not say anything. I saw blood over the wall."

Mr Davis was certified dead at the scene on April 1.

The trial continues

By John Scott

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