Murder-accused told friend he had 'done something stupid'

Neighbours of a 69-year-old woman who was dragged out of bed and trampled to death have described a semi-naked man covered in blood and dirt breaking into their homes on the night of the attack.

Dean Mears, 34, from Kinmel Bay, Conwy county, has admitted manslaughter after the death of Catherine Flynn, 69, in Rhyl, Denbighshire, on 24 October 2023, but denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The jury at Caernarfon Crown Court heard that Mr Mears broke into Ms Flynn's home, dragged her out of bed and repeatedly stamped on her face and head.

On Friday, the court was told Mr Mears confided in a friend that he had hurt someone just after the attack.

In a statement read in court on Friday, Summer Wilson - who had known Mr Mears for about four years - said she saw the defendant outside her home after the attack, covered in dirt and with no clothes "on his bottom half".

She had been talking to two friends, one of whom had recently split up with Mr Mears, in their car outside her home after they called round to see her on the evening of 24 October.

She said that, after she got out of the car to go back inside, she saw Dean Mears standing at the back of the vehicle.

"He was covered in dirt. He looked like he was in a trance and was white as a ghost," she said.

"He said 'I've done something stupid, I've hurt someone.'"

She said he then got into the back of the car and later she saw it further down the road, with Dean Mears and his ex-partner stood next to it, arguing and shouting, before he ran away.

Ms Wilson called police to report his unusual behaviour.

The court heard how Ms Flynn's daughter had been alerted to movement on her mother's doorbell camera and had seen a man trying to get in and then later jumping out of a window.

Andrew Jones, prosecuting, told the jury that Mr Mears was captured on various CCTV and security cameras in the hours after the attack on Ms Flynn.

Footage played in court showed a man in various locations around Rhyl between 23:00 and 00:30, wearing only a t-shirt.

The jury also heard a statement from Rhyl resident Jennifer Spencer who said she had heard breathing in her kitchen and went to investigate.

She saw a man in her doorway and, despite feeling "shock and worry", she asked him who he was and he showed her a gash on his palm saying "I've cut myself".

She told him to leave, which he did.

Crime scene investigators later found black socks and underwear in Ms Spencer's washing machine which did not belong to anyone in the house.

In a statement, another Rhyl resident, Mark Cready, said he had also confronted a semi-naked man in his house that evening.

"I saw a male stood in the kitchen by the rear side door, looking at me. He was naked from the waist down and covered in blood on his hands, leg and t-shirt."

Mr Cready said he told the man to leave but that "he looked straight through me as if he was high on drugs".

He said the man lunged for his phone and after a "tug of war" the man took it and exited the house.

The trial continues.