‘I’ve done robberies but no-one died before’
ONE of the people accused of killing a pensioner during a robbery has told his trial that while he carried out “a couple” of robberies in the past, nobody had died during one before.
The body of 67-year-old John Williams was found by his former partner at his house in Swansea on March 31 – his hands were tied behind his back, and he had been beaten to death.
Three people are accused of murder, an alternative charge of manslaughter, and robbery – Jonathan Donne, Simon Cairns, and Gemma Owen. All three deny the charges against them.
Yesterday, 42-year-old Donne took to the witness box at Swansea Crown Court for a third day to give evidence.
The court had previously heard that the trio had spent the evening of March 29 driving around the city “calling in favours” and trying to raise cash.
They had also been asking associates for information on anyone who had a crop of cannabis they could steal – leading them to Mr Williams’ house, in Pentrechwyth Road, Pentrechwyth, shortly before midnight.
The court was shown CCTV footage of the night which showed Owen pacing around at the junction of Pentrechwyth Road and Grenfell Town – when prosecutor Mike Jones QC asked the defendant if Owen was there to act as a lookout while he robbed Mr Williams, Donne replied: “Yeah, obviously.”
The court heard that when Mr Williams answered the door, a hooded Donne forced his way inside the property, and the two men wrestled on the floor before Donne overpowered him and tied his hands behind his back.
Mr Jones asked the defendant about the injuries Mr Williams suffered on the night he died – including a fractured voice box which a pathologist had earlier told the court was most likely caused by a foot.
Mr Jones said: “Did you stamp on his throat?”
Donne said: “No.”
Mr Jones said: “Did you stamp on his back?”
Donne: “No.”
The prosecutor said: “He [Mr Williams] was beaten so brutally he effectively suffered brain damage. Were you beating him to get him to tell you where the money was?”
Donne again said: “No”.
In response to questions from the prosecutor, Donne said he called Cairns and Owen into the house after he had tied up Mr Williams.
Donne said he left Cairns with Mr Williams while he and Owen went upstairs – Donne said he searched the victim’s cupboards and wardrobe looking for the stash of cannabis which he said Mr Williams had told him was in the bedroom.
Donne said he stuffed the cannabis he found in a bag and the three of them left the house. The defendant also told the court that while they were driving off in Cairns’ Nissan Juke, Cairns told him he had checked Mr Williams’ pulse before leaving, and he was still alive.
Mr Jones said: “You all played your part. At the very least you left him for dead?”
Donne said: “Yes.”
The defendant was then re-examined by his barrister, Christopher Clee QC, who took Donne back to something he mentioned during his crossexamination the previous day about Cairns being in debt and “dragging us into this bulls***”.
Mr Clee asked Donne what he had meant by that.
Donne said: “He [Cairns] was in debt. He asked us to help him out. The first time I take him with me, someone ends up dead. I have done a couple of robberies and no-one has died.”
Donne, 42, his girlfriend Owen, 31, and 46-year-old Cairns, all of Gordon Thomas Close, Brynmelyn, Swansea, deny the charges against them.
The trial continues.