Boy, 4, is youngest witness ever at the Old Bailey at murder trial of mother who died from burns

 
Julie Beattie who was systematically abused and eventually murdered.
4 April 2014
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A four-year-old boy today became the youngest witness ever to give evidence in a murder trial at the Old Bailey.

A girl aged six was also due to be questioned in court in a trial involving allegations that a mother was burned to death with petrol by her jealous boyfriend.

The two children allegedly saw the horrific scene of Julie Beattie, 24, staggering in the street with her clothes and flesh aflame in Walworth in July last year.

Her partner Ashley Williams had also battered her over the head with a hammer in fury at her affair, the court has heard.

The two children are the youngest witnesses at the Old Bailey since a jury in a Baby P-related case watched a video of a three-year-old girl give evidence. She then answered questions from a barrister in court when aged four.

That trial involved an allegations of rape against Steven Barker, who had been the boyfriend of Peter’s mother Tracey Connelly when the baby was brutally tortured.

In today’s case Ashley Williams, 48 of Walworth, has pleaded not guilty to murder.

The jury was first shown a video of the small boy answering questions from police officers in a special suite a few days after the victim died. He was then asked questions by Williams’ lawyers via a videolink from a separate room in the Old Bailey.

The same procedure was then due to be followed with the six-year-old girl.

The court has heard that Ms Beattie suffered 90% burns and died in the Chelsea and Westminster hospital, but while still alive whispered to a neighbour “Ashley did this to me.”

Earlier in the day that she died the mother-of-four had started to move her belongings out of the family home intending to start a new life.

When Williams - who has eight other children from a previous marriage as well as four with Ms Beattie - found out he returned home from work allegedly intent on stopping her.

Her new lover was Williams’s own son from a previous relationship - also called Ashley or Ash - who was accused by his father of betrayal, said Edward Brown QC, prosecuting.

“Julie Beattie died a terrible death. She survived until the evening. The medical staff at the burns unit did all that they could but her injuries were such that she just could not be saved,” said the QC.

“Those who knew her well saw a person stagger from the house - she was still on fire. They were not only unable to recognise her as the person they knew but because of her disfigurement from the flames they were unable even to tell whether the figure was a man or woman.

“She was however able to speak briefly. She was conscious and coherent for a time. She said: ‘Ashley did this to me’ meaning Ashley senior as his son was not there.”

Ms Beattie had told her sister Lucy she was leaving Williams and when he arrived home the sister left to give the couple space to talk, the court heard.

But when Lucy Beattie returned a little later she heard shouting and Williams refused to let her enter the house.

Said Mr Brown: “Through the partially opened door, Julie Beattie was heard to call out, ‘He’s got a hammer... he’s going to kill us all’”.

Lucy Beattie headed for the police station then changed her mind and came back to see fire at the house and Williams in the hallway about to leave.

“Julie was still in the kitchen but staggered out onto the drive and road. She was seen to be still on fire,” the QC told the jury.

The court heard that the relationship between Williams and Ms Beattie had been deteriorating for months.

It got worse when Ashley Jnr arrived at the family home in September 2012 and started a sexual relationship with her barely five months later.

The case continues.

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