Drunken lover battered alcoholic to death in her Crystal Palace flat, court hears
9:34am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News By Hannah Williamson
Siobhan Kelly was found dead in her flat
AN ALCOHOLIC woman who befriended men and had sex with them in return for drink was battered to death by a drunken lover, a court heard.
Siobhan Kelly of Tudor Road, Crystal Palace, was found dead in her flat on February 7, last year.
Police found the 39-year-old's decomposing body, after she failed to make contact with her family and friends.
The Old Bailey heard Miss Kelly, who was unemployed, had attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at St Stephens Church, Dulwich Road.
She confessed to the group organiser Lizzy Walsh-Steele, that she would go to local pubs and befriend elderly and unattractive men in order to get alcohol from them - a behaviour she said caused her "a lot of shame."
Miss Kelly was last seen alive on the morning of January 15 last year.
She met the defendant Stephen Foad later that evening, asking him to buy her beer before the pair returned to her flat.
Duncan Atkinson prosecuting, said at about 10pm Katarzyna Budka, who lived in the flat above Miss Kelly heard a loud male voice swearing.
Miss Kelly's voice could also be heard but it sounded as if she were drunk and moaning.
Mr Atkinson said: "Ms Budka then heard banging noises, the banging was not continuous but rather started and then stopped.
"After about an hour Ms Budka heard a male voice saying "Stop moaning, it was just a punch in the face.
"Stop moaning if you won't stop moaning I'll keep doing it."
The court heard the banging then started again and continued for a further half hour before the noises stopped at 11.30pm.
Miss Kelly's body was discovered three weeks later.
A post mortem found she had been repeatedly struck to her head, with heavy blows from fists and other items.
There was also bruising to her torso and a number of her ribs were fractured, consistent with being stamped on by a shod foot.
Mr Atkinson said: "Miss Kelly had been beaten to death.
"She had received heavy blows to her head - not one knock but a number of blows.
"In addition, she had received blows to her body-not the result of a fall but of being struck blows that she tried to ward off with her arms, and being stamped on when she was on the ground."
Foad, of Fox Hill Lane, Crystal Palace, said Miss Kelly fell and hit her head during an argument and denies murder.
The trial continues.
