‘Unexplained injuries’ REPEATED HEAVY BLOWS THE CAUSE SAYS EXPERT

A PATHOLOGIST told a jury she would not have expected all the injuries found on hairdresser Marcus Fletcher to have been explained by one punch and a fall downstairs.

Dr Naomi Carter said Mr Fletcher had a total of 26 fractures to his ribs as well as two black eyes, a fracture of one eye socket, bruising to both ears, neck, back and chest when he was discovered injured in his Lindley salon on February 18.

She told Leeds Crown Court: “Looking at the totality of his injuries certainly you could expect possibly some of the bruising to the back and some of the rib fractures might have been caused by him falling backwards down the steps, but in my opinion there were too many rib fractures for just that.”

She said some ribs were fractured in more than one place in the back, side and front, adding: “These are really severe injuries only to be from a fall.

“There are too many rib fractures in too many locations for that to be the only explanation for all his rib fractures.”

Dr Carter said in her opinion Mr Fletcher had been physically assaulted by repeated heavy blows to his head and repeated heavy blows to his chest, most likely from kicks or stamps.

She believed he had suffered at least four separate blows, possibly more to his head. It was not possible to say how many to his chest.

Joshua Gibbon, 25, of Quarmby Road, Quarmby, and Aaron Holroyd, 24, of Briarlyn Road, Birchencliffe, each deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Fletcher, attempting to murder him by starting fire at his salon in Acre Street and arson reckless whether the lives of others were endangered.

The jury has heard that when they were arrested Holroyd said Gibbon had punched Mr Fletcher. Gibbon claimed he “flipped” after a sexual advance was made towards him and in a tussle they both fell down stairs leading to the basement.

Fire brigade watch manager Ian Firth said he investigated two seats of fire in the salon.

One at the top of the stairs leading to the basement had fire debris from burned hairdressing gowns, coat hangers and drips from melted ceiling cladding above it.

The other involved one gown burned behind the entrance door.

Both appeared to have started from naked flame applied to combustible material

Soot indicated smoke had filled the upstairs salon and part of the way downstairs but the basement would have had clean air.

A discharged fire extinguisher was found on the floor near the sofa where Mr Fletcher was discovered in the salon.

The trial continues.