A teacher was beaten to death by her cage fighter boyfriend and suffered 60 injuries in an attack that also left her 15-year-old boy lover seriously injured, a court heard.
Paul Robson, 49, is alleged to have killed Caroline Kayll, 47, at her home in Linton, Northumberland, in November last year after blackmailing her over her sexual relationship with the 15-year-old.
A pathologist at Newcastle Crown Court told jurors Ms Kayll had 60 injuries and died from blunt force to her head.
Robson denies murdering Caroline and denies trying to murder the youth, who had 45 injuries, including stab wounds, slashes, chops and bites.
Pictured: Caroline Kayll, who died in hospital after attack in Linton, Northumberland on November 15
Robson claimed in a defence case statement that he was attacked from behind while talking to Ms Kayll. He said he came round from unconsciousness to find the youth standing over her as she lay motionless on the floor of her house last November.
But pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper, asked if Robson’s injuries match up 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.’
Dr Cooper told the court Ms Kayll had a ‘catastrophic brain injury’.
As well as multiple areas of bruising to various parts of her head, face, and body, arms and legs, there were cuts to both buttocks. She also had fractures to both cheekbones.
She suffered multiple fractures to her eye socket and nose.
Jealous ex-convict Paul Robson, 50, ‘carried out a vicious attack on Caroline Kayll, 47, and her teenager lover’
Her brain was found to have been badly damaged by a lack of blood and oxygen. It was also severely swollen, there was nerve fibre damage and a small amount of bleeding.
Referring to the neuropathologist’s report, Dr Cooper said: ‘He says severe force has been applied to Caroline’s head, including an action causing a violent rotational movement of the head.
‘The brain has twisted violently inside the head to cause the fibre damage.’
Referring to causation of the brain injuries, Dr Cooper said a pathologist believes someone kicked or stamped on her head.
He added that it would require a ‘severe’ level of force.
Meanwhile, 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 jurors were shown pictures of Robson stopping off on his way from Glasgow
It is said he drove for three hours from Glasgow to Linton, having bought a locksmith’s bar, a magnetic GPS car tracker, screwdrivers, pliers, a wrench and ammonia
Here Robson is pictured with a drink bottle that he picked up on journey, Newcastle Crown Court heard
Shortly after this picture was takenn the powerfully-built defendant was seen on CCTV in heavy boots ‘prowling’ outside her house, the jury heard
The teenager also had four bite marks to his arms and four blunt force injuries.
There were other indistinct injuries and injuries to his hands, including to tendons, which could have been defensive injuries.
Robson claims he was struck from behind while speaking to Ms Kayll.
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 Ms Kayll, who was lying motionless on the floor.
His defence statement 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, of Howdon, Wallsend, denies murder, attempted murder and blackmail.
The trial continues.
Jury hears about cagefighter background of murder accused
Murder accused Paul Robson’s background as a cagefighter could help the jury decide what happened, the prosecution said.
Newcastle Crown Court was shown two photos of the 50-year-old fighting in the ring and was told he was experienced in mixed martial arts (MMA).
The former convict, from Stanley Street, Wallsend, North Tyneside, denies murdering his ex-partner Caroline Kayll at her home in Linton, Northumberland, and the attempted murder of a 15-year-old boy she had started seeing.
Nicholas Lumley QC, prosecuting, told the jury about Robson’s CV which spoke of his gym work and how he delivered fitness programmes, and mentioned his email address which started ‘cageconditioningcoach’.
Mr Lumley said: ‘There is nothing wrong in being physically fit, nothing illegal about MMA, but his sporting prowess and his strength, on which he had worked for many years, may be relevant when you come to consider any of the issues raised in their case.’
Paul Robson’s background as a cagefighter could help the jury decide what happened, the prosecution said. His email address began ‘cageconditioningcoach’
When Robson was arrested in Glasgow, he was ‘belligerent’ with Northumbria Police officers who went to collect him, demanding they give him back his spectacles which had been seized, Mr Lumley said.
The jury was shown a video of Robson shouting at officers: ‘Don’t think I’m some sort of mug, I have been here before.’
He did not answer detectives’ questions but gave a prepared statement which said he was ’emotionally spent’ and was finding it difficult to concentrate.
‘I cannot believe Caroline’s dead,’ he said. ‘The whole thing is like a nightmare, like a bad dream. I’m so tired and I am devastated.’
Robson said he went to her house and they argued. ‘Then I was hit from behind on my head and back and then I fell forward.
‘I recall feeling something around my throat. I remember feeling dazed, sick and scared. I felt like everything was unravelling.’
Robson said he left and contacted his solicitor when he learned she had died.
‘In all the circumstances I am not in a position to sensibly answer any questions,’ the statement concluded.
James Mulholland QC, defending, said Robson had grown cannabis at his flat and was drying it in Mrs Kayll’s garage.
He also possessed a number of expensive designer watches which he kept at their former home.
Mr Mulholland suggested to Mrs Kayll’s friend, Neil Welsh, that this explained why Robson was asking for money from her, as she had disposed of the drugs and watches. Mr Welsh denied the suggestion.
