A MAN accused of murdering Skegby widow Hilda Owen had ‘made a plan’ to solve his financial difficulties.
Peter Kenneth Smith (48), who lived next door and denies murdering her, told the sister of his former partner Adam Dixon that he had been worried about his financial affairs but that he had a plan, a jury at Nottingham Crown Court was told today (Tuesday).
After Smith and Dixon had split up, Smith had a telephone conversation with Dixon’s sister, Nicola Benmajor.
She told the court: “He was really upset. He was afraid he was going to lose his home. Things were not happy – he was generally upset.
“He said to me, ‘what you don’t understand is that I’ll lose my home. I have a plan and if everything comes right I’ll never be homeless again.
“He did not elaborate. That’s all he said.”
Following cross-examination by Paul Mann, defending, she said that at the time she had not paid much attention to Smith’s comments because he had a tendency to be ‘melodramatic’. It was only after Hilda’s death that she paid attention to what had been said.
Earlier in today’s hearing, the jury also heard evidence from a pathologist.
Dr William Lawler said that Hilda had sustained numerous injuries to her head, including fractures to her skull. He said she had also been strangled.
Describing some of the head injuries, he said: “I have seen plenty of weapons but these (injuries) have the suggestion of a hammer or perhaps a claw hammer.”
The case continues
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