Wendy Mann murder trial: Jealous ex 'murdered mother of his children weeks after trying to kill her new love'
A jealous ex murdered the mother of his children weeks after trying to kill her new flame, a court heard.
Wendy Mann, aged 26, was found dead in her flat in West Bromwich having been strangled.
Her ex-partner Leroy Sterling, 63, is accused of killing her as well as bludgeoning her new love over the head and stabbing him in the neck.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Sterling became aware Miss Mann was in a relationship with Trevor Tyndale in the weeks leading up to her death in August 2015.
She and Sterling had split a year earlier and had three children together.
Opening the case on the first day of the trial, Mr Mark Hayward QC told the jury Sterling invited Mr Tyndale, who was married, to his home in Gunns Lane on July 11 before launching a brutal attack on his love rival.
Mr Hayward told the court: "After a couple of drinks the prosecution say Mr Sterling attacked Mr Tyndale from behind, striking him with a very heavy blow to the back of the head.
"The force of the blow knocked him to the floor. Then Mr Sterling continued to attack, pushing a knife into Mr Tyndale's neck and holding him by the neck as if to choke or strangle him."
Despite suffering a fractured skull and a stab wound to his neck, Mr Tyndale managed to wrestle the knife from Sterling and escape into the garden, Mr Hayward said.
Mr Tyndale did not initially tell police Sterling had attacked him as he did not want his wife to find out, the court heard.
Following the attack, the jury heard Mr Tyndale had no contact with Miss Mann until four days before her death.
Mr Tyndale told police he left Miss Mann's flat in Chapel Street at 5.30am on August 27 and was spotted on CCTV nearby half an hour later.
He claimed he saw a hooded man wearing dark clothing 'hanging around' near her home.
Camera footage also showed a man walking up Chapel Street just before 9.10am, which the prosecution claims was Sterling.
The next day Miss Mann was found dead in her kitchen by her brother and her neighbour who had grown concerned at not hearing from her.
A post-mortem examination found the mother suffered multiple fractures to bones in her neck. Mr Hayward said these were consistent with having been dragged by somebody with an arm around her neck.
Sterling denies murder and attempted murder.
The trial continues.
