Teen girls dropped TV on murder victim, Leeds Crown Court told

Two girls aged 13 and 14 dropped a television on a frail woman as they “forcibly restrained” her while battering and torturing her to death, a court has heard.

Angela Wrightson, 39, was found dead in her blood-spattered living room by her landlord in December 2014, having suffered “well in excess of 103” injuries, including 80 to her face.

The two girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were said to have used a variety of weapons in the “sustained and brutal” assault on the victim, who was 5ft 4in and weighed six and a half stone.

During the attack in Hartlepool, County Durham, the pair giggled and posed for selfies at the scene, described as “akin to a bomb site”.

The violence was said to have taken place over five hours from the evening of Monday December 8 into the early hours of Tuesday December 9.

It is not known when Ms Wrightson died.

The jury at Leeds Crown Court was told that the girls had let themselves into the alcoholic woman’s home before beginning the attack, leaving for “time out”, and returning to the scene for a further two hours where they were to leave her body in an “undignified manner”.

The girls, who are now aged 15 and 14, both deny murder.

Jurors heard that Ms Wrightson’s blood, skin and hair were found on a number of recovered implements, some of which had been damaged in the attack.

They included a television, a computer printer, a shovel and a wooden stick with protruding screws.

Other items used included a picture frame, a coffee table and a kettle.

Prosecutor Nicholas Campbell QC told jurors that the best friends, who had an “intense” relationship, had been “in it together”.

He said: “A number of weapons had been used to cause at least some of the injuries.

"At least one of those weapons was swung overhead, resulting in blood being cast off on to the ceiling. Blood, skin and hair were noted upon a variety of implements recovered.”

Ms Wrightson’s scalp and ears bore evidence of 15 slash injuries and there were injuries to her torso, back and to each of her four limbs.

Both defendants admit they were present when the injuries occurred. The older girl accepts she struck Ms Wrightson but said she did not intend serious harm.

The younger girl says she played no part in the assault and did not encourage her co-accused. The case continues.