Pensioner was punched and stamped to death, suffering more than 60 injuries

A pathologist told the trial how Roy Blackman had suffered a severe and sustained attack and was left with more than 60 separate injuries.

Dr Ashley Fagan-Earl said Mr Blackman died after being kicked, punched and stamped on in his bungalow in Biddenden.

The forensic pathologist who works at King’s College Hospital, in London, also revealed to the court Mr Blackman suffered a traumatic brain injury which alone would have killed him.

Mr Blackman, 73, who lived in Headcorn Road, was attacked by the gang who broke into his home and beaten until he died.

Dr Fagan-Earl could not tell the jury at what point during the brutal attack the pensioner had died, but said he had tried to defend himself somewhat as he had defensive wounds to his arm which were caused by a knife as he had held them up in anticipation of the attack.

Dr Fagan-Earl told the court he had found 64 separate injuries on Mr Blackman’s body during the post-mortem examination.

The cause of Mr Blackman’s death was given as multiple blunt force trauma to his head, chest and abdomen.

He had black eyes, a broken nose, fractured left cheekbone, severe abrasions, bruises and laserations to his body and fractures to the base of his skull with bleeding consistent with a severe brain injury.

In fact, the injury to his brain was so severe, a specialist expert neuropathologist carried out a further examination on it and found there was a traumatic brain injury throughout his brain which would have been caused by significant force having been applied to his head.

The neuropathologist, Prof Safa Al-Sarraj, said the injuries to Mr Blackman’s brain were usually caused by a fall from height or a road accident or being kicked and stamped on.

Dr Fagan-Earl also told the jury he found patterned bruises and abrasions on Mr Blackman’s body which would be consistent with being kicked and stamped on.

The pathologist said four of Mr Blackman’s ribs had also been broken and the injuries were consistent with being kicked.

He added: “The victim Roy Blackman, suffered severe injuries as a result of a blunt force trauma assault when he suffered heavy punches, stamps and kicks.

“These multiple blunt force trauma injuries were on his neck, chest, head and abdomen and the totality of those injuries led to his death.”

Roy Blackman was beaten to death in his own home