Alleged Black Country murderers 'wrongly accused victim of being paedophile'
Two alleged murderers carried out a prolonged and brutal attack on a defenceless man in a Black Country park after wrongly accusing him of being a paedophile, a court was told.
Anthony Bird, known locally as 'Goughy' was kicked and punched by defendants Steven Bennett and Suni Gill near the war memorial in Tipton's Victoria Park on July 26 last year, it is claimed.
The 50-year-old suffered bruising to the brain and body along with fractures to his cheekbones, jaw and right eye socket during the attack which happened in front of members of the public, a jury was told.
Mr Alistair MacDonald QC, prosecuting barrister, told the jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Wednesday that the two men were not known to the alleged victim, who died from his injuries in hospital a fortnight later.
"The prosecution say that is perfectly clear that he died as a result of the damage caused by this attack at Tipton park by these men raining kicks and punches upon him.
"As a result he fell rapidly to the ground completely defenceless in the face of a brutal attack," Mr MacDonald said.
He told the jury that there was a clear disparity between the ages of the two defendants which raised questions over the reason for their actions.
"The answer to that comes from witnesses who heard these defendants say for reasons of which are unclear and for which the prosecution offers no evidence to support, that Mr Bird was a paedophile."
The court heard that Mr Bird was an alcoholic and suffered from cirrhosis of the liver.
A post mortem report concluded that he died as a result of blunt force head impact with a background of serious pre-existing liver disease which impaired his blood clotting.
Mr MacDonald said Mr Bird's condition deteriorated in hospital and he died on August 12.
He told the jury that it was the prosecution's position that any pre-existing medical condition suffered by Mr Bird is irrelevant to other injuries caused by Bennett and Gill.
"The fact of the matter is he was kicked by these men in a prolonged beating and attack which was so severe that it caused damage to the brain and around it," he said.
"Given all these findings, at the time when these two defendants attacked Mr Bird they intended to cause him, at the very least, serious bodily harm and in fact they did intend to cause him serious bodily harm.
"As a result of the real harm they caused he died and the ingredients of that lead to murder," Mr MacDonald added.
Bennett, 38, of Bevan Road, and Gill, 33, of Shore Road, both Tipton, deny murdering Mr Bird and deny causing him grievous bodily harm with intent.
The trial continues.
