‘Murder victim may have had hood put on his head’

A dad who was murdered during a "revenge" beating may have had a homemade hood put over his head during the fatal attack, jurors have heard.

Sean Mason, 55, was subjected to a" catalogue of horrific acts" and suffered 18 sites of injury to his head ,40 to his body, multiple internal injuries including broken bones and brain damage before his lifeless body was found dumped on a grassed area by his son Michael.

Prosecutors claim Wayne Froud and Steven Milroy, who ran a" drugdealing enterprise", killed Mr Mason in a "retribution" beating, which involved him being put into a wheelie bin before being dumped outside, because they suspected he, along with others, had stolen from them.

Milroy, 47, of Avondale Avenue, and Froud ,36, of Wensleydale Avenue, both in Penshaw, deny murder and are being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

The court heard Mr Mason's body was found outside the flat sat Avon dale Avenue in the early hours of May 16 after his son got concerned and went to check on him.

Prosecutors claim the deadly violence took place in and around Milroy' s home. For en sic sci enti st John New all has told jurors the property and items in it were stained with Mr Mason's blood.

Jurors were shown photograph sofa piece of black cloth that was on a table in the living room.

Mr Newall said the item was" extensively bloodstained" and added: "It appears to be the sleeve from an item of clothing that has had a knot tied in one end.

"On the inside surfaces of this black fabric, there was apparent body tissue.

"It was plainly visible to the naked eye."

Mr New all said DNA testing of the fabric provided a profile which matched Mr Mason.

He added :" Because of the construction of the item and the apparent body tissue on its inside, one possibility is it was put over Sean Mason' s head and then he was struck ."