Caroline suffered 60 injuries
TEACHER Caroline Kayll and her underage lover had more than 100 injuries between them – but her murder accused ex-partner claims he was attacked by the boy.
Paul Robson is alleged to have killed Caroline at her Northumberland home after blackmailing her over her sexual relationship with the 15-year-old.
A pathologist at Newcastle Crown Court told jurors Caroline had 60 injuries and died from blunt force to her head.
Robson denies murdering Caroline and also denies trying to murder the youth, who had 45 injuries, including stab wounds, slashes, chops and bites.
Robson claimed in a defence case statement submitted last month that he was attacked from behind while talking to Caroline. He said he came round from unconsciousness to find the youth standing over her as she lay motionless on the floor of her house in Linton last November.
But pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper, asked if Robson’s injuries accord with Robson’s own account, replied: “No they don’t.
“Usually the victim has injuries worse than the assailant.
“There’s an enormous discrepancy in the number of injuries between (the boy) and Mr Robson.
“They are consistent with Robson being the assailant and (the youth) being the victim.”
The court heard when Caroline, 47, was admitted to hospital she had a “Glasgow Coma Score” – a measure of the level of consciousness – of three out of 15, which is the lowest possible level.
Dr Cooper told the court Caroline had a “catastrophic brain injury”.
Caroline, who was 5ft 7ins and 9st 12lbs, had suffered a catalogue of injuries, which were outlined to the jury
As well as multiple areas of bruising to various parts of her head, face, body, arms and legs, there were injuries to both buttocks.
Dr Cooper said the youth suffered three stab wounds, 19 slashing or chopping injuries, a chop wound to his face with an underlying fracture, seven scratches or similar marks which may or may not have been caused by a sharp weapon and superficial puncture wounds from something used repeatedly, possibly scissors.
The teenager also had four bite marks to his arms and four blunt force injuries.
Jurors heard details of a defence case statement submitted on Robson’s behalf in February.
It said that on arrival he was eventually allowed access by Caroline via a rear patio and he was struck hard from behind while speaking to her.
He said he recalls someone throttling him, doesn’t know how long he was unconscious and he came round dazed.
The statement said he saw the youth standing over Caroline, who was lying motionless on the floor.
It added: “He said he chased (the youth) who ran upstairs.
“The defendant says (he) was in a rage, calling Caroline a liar and a c*** and he was trying to stab the defendant.
“At one point he stabbed with such force his hand slipped down the hilt onto the blade.”
The statement went on to say Robson disarmed the youth of the knife but that the youth was in a rage and forced him out of an ensuite bathroom and into the bedroom and that he ended up on top of Robson and was saying ‘she’s a f****** liar.’
It added: “He was intent on driving the scissors into the defendant’s face.
“He bit him and managed to wrestle the scissors from him.
“He accepts stabbing him a number of times to subdue him.” The statement went on: “The defendant dragged him downstairs.
“He then went to Caroline Kayll and realised a lot of her hair had been cut off.
“The defendant attempted mouth to mouth but her mouth was full of blood.
“He sprayed her face with a hose to clear away the hair and wash away the blood.
“He tried mouth to mouth and put her in the recovery position.”
Robson then claimed the youth “came at him again” with a meat cleaver but that he got the better of him and disarmed him He accepted he struck him a number of times with the knife but insisted he inflicted the injuries lawfully in self-defence.
Robson, 49, of Stanley Street, Howdon, Wallsend, denies murder, attempted murder and blackmail.
The trial continues
There’s an enormous discrepancy in the number of injuries between (the boy) and Mr Robson.
Dr Nigel Cooper