Man guilty of 71-year-old pensioner murder after she mistook his home for B&B
David Redfern, 46, found Margaret Barnes asleep in his bedroom before dragging her downstairs by her feet and brutally stamping on her.
A man has been found guilty of murdering a 71-year-old grandmother who mistook his home for a B&B and entered his bed. Margaret Barnes, from Birmingham, died after the attack in Barmouth, Gwynedd, last July. David Redfern, 46, found Mrs Barnes asleep in his bedroom. He dragged her downstairs by her feet before stamping on her.
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Redfern denied murder and manslaughter, but was today (March 29) found guilty after a trial at Caernarfon Crown Court.
Mrs Barnes had been out drinking with friends she was visiting in Barmouth and had been planning to stay at a B&B in Marine Parade, a few doors down from where Redfern lived.
She mistakenly went into Redfern's house and entered a bedroom where she then fell asleep.
Prosecutor Michael Jones described the decision as a "mistake" which "ultimately cost her her life", according to the BBC.
The prosecution accused Redfern of calling Mrs Barnes a "thieving c***". He dragged her outside before stamping on her.
Mr Jones said: "The prosecution case is the reason Margaret Barnes is dead is because she had the misfortune of coming across a man who, whatever issues he had, was an angry bully. What he did to her was clearly done in fury."
Pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers found Ms Barnes died from severe blunt force trauma. He also found she had suffered fractured ribs and a fractured neck.
Redfern, a 6ft 1in (1.85m) man weighing 21 stone (133kg), told police Mrs Barnes had been aggressive towards him, claiming she had "lunged" towards his partner.
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He claimed he intervened by "bear hugging" Mrs Barnes off the premises because he believed his girlfriend was in danger.
According to the BBC, Redfern said in police bodycam footage shown during the trial: "I threw her out the bedroom, dragged her down the stairs by her ankles and threw her out the door.
"You do not expect to find someone else in your bed. I just wanted to get this strange woman out of the house."
In CCTV also shown to the jury, Redfern can be heard telling his partner after the attack: "I didn't mean to kill her".
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His partner replied: "You could have just escorted her out. It's an old lady."
In his closing speech, Mr Jones told jurors: "What the defendant did to Mrs Barnes was out of all proportion to the situation."
He added when Mrs Barnes was dying outside his home, Redfern had "mocked and demeaned" her.
Jurors had heard from defence counsel that there was nothing in Redfern's past to suggest he was somebody with a disposition towards violence.
Adjourning sentencing, Mr Justice Bourne told IT worker Redfern: "You are remanded in custody. You have been advised what the sentencing decision will be."
Due to the fact Redfern has been found guilty of murder, he will be automatically handed a life sentence.
Mr Justice Bourne is to decide the minimum term before parole may be considered.
Redfern is due to be sentenced on Friday, North Wales Live reports.
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Mrs Barnes’ family said: "Margaret, who was a much-loved wife, mother and grandmother, has now been gone for eight months. As a family it has been the hardest time of our lives.
"It has been especially difficult for Margaret’s husband who had been her partner for 56 years.
"We now have some sort of closure on what has happened, however, no length of sentence will ever fill the void that Margaret has left behind.
"As a family we would like to thank the police for their hard work in putting the case together."
