Man, 92, on trial accused of rape and murder of woman almost 60 years ago

A 92-year-old antheral has gone connected proceedings accused of the rape and execution of an aged pistillate successful Bristol astir 60 years ago.

Ryland Headley, from Ipswich, denies sidesplitting Louisa Dunne, who was 75 astatine the time, successful June 1967.

Avon and Somerset Police reopened the acold lawsuit successful 2023 and arrested Headley pursuing caller tests connected semen recovered connected the skirt Ms Dunne was wearing astatine the time.

Opening the case, Prosecutor Anna Vigars KC told the assemblage astatine Bristol Crown Court that those trial results showed a DNA lucifer that was "a cardinal times much likely" to beryllium Mr Headley's than anyone else.

Her apparel had been kept successful constabulary retention for decades.

The prosecution said that Ms Dunne was recovered by neighbours wrong her location successful the Easton country of the metropolis aft returning from a friend's house.

They described however she was discovered lying connected her backmost connected a heap of aged clothes, with humor coming from her and vomit successful her mouth.

"She was afloat dressed, but her knickers were astir her ankles, and a nylon benignant stocking was lying crossed her neck," added Mrs Vigars.

At the time, constabulary recovered her location had been breached into and a sash model had been forced open, with a thenar people discovered.

The probe successful 1967 took thousands of thenar prints from section males, but nary lucifer was found.

A post-mortem introspection astatine the clip recovered she had "extensive abrasions" connected her look and that the astir apt mentation was that a manus had been pressed against her mouth.

An intimate swab tested affirmative for semen, but DNA investigating was not disposable astatine the time.

The assemblage heard that Headley, who appeared successful the dock wearing a reddish jumper, had already pleaded blameworthy of raping 2 different aged women, conscionable weeks isolated successful 1977.

One victim, an 84-year-old woman, said she would scream, and helium replied to her: "If you bash that, that volition beryllium worse for you."

Mrs Vigars outlined to the tribunal that Headley told the different victim, a 79-year-old, helium had a gun, saying: "If you bash what I archer you, you volition beryllium each right, if not, I volition termination you. Do not shriek oregon marque a sound oregon I volition termination you."

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The prosecution said the offences demonstrated that Headley had "a tendency" to enactment successful the aforesaid mode that helium allegedly did successful 1967.

"In different words, to interruption into people's homes astatine nighttime and, successful immoderate cases, to people an aged pistillate surviving alone, to person enactment with her contempt her attempts to fend him off, and to endanger violence," the prosecution added.

Headley denies raping and murdering Ms Dunne.

The proceedings astatine Bristol Crown Court is owed to past up to 3 weeks.