Defendant changes his plea and admits murdering man in his bed
A man has admitted murdering a Blackhall man who was found dead in his bed after dramatically changing his plea.
Marty Bates, 31, of Tenth Street, Blackhall Colliery, previously denied the murder of John Littlewood, 36.
He has been standing trial at Teesside Crown Court for several weeks.
But yesterday, the charge was put to him again and he pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Littlewood between Friday, July 26, and Wednesday, July 31, in 2019.
Mr Littlewood was found dead in his bed by his concerned on-off partner when she went to check on him on July 30.
The trial heard he had suffered significant head injuries said to have been caused by a weapon,mostlikelyahammer.
Bateswasremandedincustody to be sentenced on a date to be decided.
Prosecutor Richard Wright said Bates had gone to Mr Littlewood’s house shortly after midnight on July 26 with a plan to attack him.
He is said to have entered by the back door and gone up to his bedroom before attacking him multiple times with a blunt weapon causing devastating injuries that would have left him covered in blood.
Tracey Bunney, 45, also of Tenth Street, who was said to be in a relationship with Bates at the time, is still being tried for murder, which she
denies.
She is said to have been a “secondary party” by driving
Bates to the rear of Mr Littlewood’s house with the intention Bates was going to cause
him serious harm.
Bunney denies this or knowingafterwardsthatBates had killed him.
She said they were driving to a garage to buy some alcohol and Bates got out before she drove off.
The jury were previously toldthecouplehadrowedover an affair Bates had and he accused Bunney of an affair with Mr Littlewood.
TheprosecutionclamBunney knew Mr Littlewood was dead after a witness said they saw her go inside Mr Littlewood’s house with two other people two days later.
But she denied she went inside.
Under cross examination, Bunney said: “I didn’t know Marty had killed him at all.”
She added: “I’m a nice person, I would never hurt a soul on my life or be involved in hurting people.”
The trial continues.