‘I didn’t rape or murder that poor woman’
HUNDREDS of potholes caused by the severe weather brought by the Beast from the East are set to be repaired in North Tyneside.
The council says extra inspections of the road network are under way to identify potholes created by the recent extreme winter weather.
So far it is anticipated that around 700 potholes will require treatment this month – more than double the usual amount.
Now, highways inspectors are carrying out more inspections of key traffic routes on top of their usual checks to see which areas need work. Road condition surveys using a specialist highway scanning vehicle are helping to identify any longer term structural impact on the network.
This will then help determine road resurfacing priorities in 2018.
Coun John Harrison, cabinet member for housing and transport, said: “Road users will have seen at first hand the effect that the extreme winter weather has had on North Tyneside’s highways.
“We know that the condition of roads and pavements is a priority for our residents and our team is working hard to identify where the potholes are and get them repaired in a timely manner.
“Members of the public can help us by reporting any potholes - any with white spray paint around them are ones that have been identified as needing repair.”
During cold weather, potholes are more likely to develop. Rainwater gets into any cracks in the road. When it freezes, it expands, causing the surface to rupture.
When the ice melts, it leaves a gap below, which collapses when cars drive over it. This causes the pothole. Court Reporter MURDER suspect William John McFall shouted at his co-accused “Are you happy now?” as a relative of their alleged victim was ushered from court in tears while he gave his account from the witness box.
McFall was describing in detail what he alleges he saw Stephen Unwin doing to Quyen Ngoc Nguyen when it became too much for the family member.
Prosecutors claim McFall and Unwin lured Miss Nguyen to Unwin’s home and raped and murdered her last August, which both deny.
Giving evidence for the first time at Newcastle Crown Court, McFall claimed he saw Unwin attacking the 28-year-old mum, of Killingworth, North Tyneside.
Asked by his barrister, Nicholas Lumley QC, if he is guilty of murdering Miss Nguyen, convicted killer McFall said: “100% I’m not guilty of rape or murder of this poor woman.”
McFall said on the evening of August 14 he came downstairs from having a wash and was aware someone was in the house with Unwin having a “business meeting”.
He said he went for a cigarette outside and became aware of raised voices.
McFall told jurors: “There was a heated exchange between them.
“At that moment I realised it was possibly a female. All I could see was dark hair.”
He said he asked what was going on and was told to go back outside “so I did what I was told”.
McFall continued: “Moments later I heard a scuffle and went to investigate.
“He was dragging her by the hair across the room in the sitting room.
“He dragged her through the double doors and threw her on the floor in the dining room. “He was on top of her at this stage. “He put his knee on her chest. “He put one hand over her [putting his open palm across mouth] like this. “She was trying to scream. “He asked me to help and I said no, I was not helping.” He added: “I just heard muffled sounds from her. “I was told to get the **** out the back. “He put her face down.
“I said, ‘Steve, come on man, this is serious man, it’s not a joke.’
“He was laughing just like he was in the video we’ve seen. That sort of laugh. “I tried to reason with him. I said ‘This is getting way out of ******* hand.’ “He was not listening to me. “He had been drinking quite a bit. He just was not going to listen to me.
“He put a pillowcase over her head and grabbed some tying wire and tied her hands up.
“Again, I said to him, ‘Stop, Steve, you’ve got to stop this.’”
McFall added: “She had her hands tied together behind her back. Steve William McFall went to the kitchen and got some scissors. I saw him cutting her underwear and he threw it to the ground.
“Then he said he was going to have sex with her and I was to get the **** out of the house.
“I kept saying, ‘Stop this man, this is serious.’
“He was not interested in what I had to say.
“He said, ‘I’m going to **** her. He was on top of this lady on the floor. He was completely naked.”
McFall claimed he then saw Unwin put a plastic bag over her head.
He said: “I said, ‘Please let her go, enough is enough.’
“I said, ‘Steve, please, please, please let her go.’
“He said ‘ **** off.’ I did as I was told and ****** off and went out the back again.”
He continued: “I kept trying to reason with him. He put his hands over her head, one over her mouth, one possibly over her neck.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
“To be quite honest with you it was a living nightmare.
“Then he smothered her and left her lifeless on the floor. Her legs were wriggling.
“I said, ‘For **** sake you’ve got to stop this, Stephen, this is getting way out of hand.’”
McFall alleged Unwin then covered Miss Nguyen with a sheet and touched her between the legs with a toy lightsaber.
He added: “He was deranged. It was a joke to him; he thought it was a joke.”
At that point the relative of Miss Nguyen’s was ushered from the public gallery sobbing.
McFall shouted from the witness box to Unwin in the dock: “Are you happy now?” Unwin’s reply was inaudible.
Asked why he did not call the police that night, McFall replied: “I was afraid of myself and my partner ending up the way this lady did.”
He added: “I said I wanted to leave and he said I was not going anywhere.
“He said, ‘You go anywhere, you know what’s going to happen.’
When Unwin gave evidence, he claimed he got back from the shop to find McFall with a cord round Miss Nguyen’s neck and his foot against her head.
McFall, 51, who was living between Unwin’s home and Blackpool, and Unwin, 40, of St Oswald’s Terrace, Houghton-le-Spring, deny murder and rape.
The trial continues.