A woman who was said to have been pushed down the stairs by a friend following an argument over a cancelled holiday died as a result of a “severe head injury”, a court has heard.
Linda Rainey, 60, died on August 7 last year, two days after she was found at the bottom of the stairs with a fatal brain injury at an address on South Market Road, Great Yarmouth.
Norwich Crown Court has heard that Rosalind Gray, 56, is said to have pushed Ms Rainey as she stood at the top of the stairs during a row over a cancelled holiday, causing her to fall down the stairs.
Gray, of Marlborough Square, Great Yarmouth, has denied murder.
Gray and Adrian Lawrence, 54, of South Market Road, Yarmouth, have also denied conspiracy to pervert the course of justice between August 5 and August 12 last year.
Giving evidence on Tuesday (July 28), Dr Nat Carey, a consultant forensic pathologist, who conducted the post-mortem examination, said Ms Rainey’s death was the result of a “severe head injury” identified by the skull fracturing and extradural haemorrhage.
Dr Carey told the jury of seven women and five men that Ms Rainey suffered a fracture across one side of the skull to the other which “went down into the base of the skull”.
He told Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, that Ms Rainey suffered bleeding across both sides of the brain which indicated a significant level of trauma.
Dr Carey said secondary injuries suffered by Ms Rainey included bleeding deep in the subsection of the brain stem.
He agreed that he concluded the injuries that Ms Rainey suffered were consistent with a “fall from height” down the stairs” and the head “striking a flat surface”.
In cross-examination, Gregory Bull, defending Gray, asked Dr Carey whether someone losing their footing could account for the injuries suffered.
Dr Carey said it could.
The jury had heard on Monday from Lynette King who described how witness Emma Walker confided in her about being in the flat when she saw Gray pushing Ms Rainey, which caused her to fall down a flight of stairs.
She said Ms Walker was frightened of Gray but the witness was forceful with Ms Walker about telling the truth and warned that if she did not tell them, then she would phone police herself.
The trial continues.
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