Jury retires to consider verdict in murder trial over man found dead with more than 100 injuries to his head and body at flat near to Leeds city centre

Jurors have retired to consider a verdict in a murder trial after hearing how a man found dead at a flat in Leeds had suffered over 100 injuries to his head and body.
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Daniel Jeffrey was declared dead after police and paramedics were called to the flat at Balmoral Place, Bowman Lane, Brewery Wharf, on April 13 last year.

Leeds Crown Court heard Mr Jeffrey had multiple injuries to his head, chest, abdomen and limbs which appeared to have been inflicted less than 24 hours before his death.

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The flat owner, James Macken, 53, is on trial accused of murder.

Leeds Crown CourtLeeds Crown Court
Leeds Crown Court

During the two-week trial at Leeds Crown Court, the jury has heard how Mr Jeffrey had gone to stay with Macken less than a week before his death.

Prosecutor Chloe Hudson said Mr Jeffrey was from London and it is not clear how the two men knew each other.

Mr Jeffrey, 32, caught a train from London to Leeds to go stay with Macken on April 6.

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A friend who saw him board the train to Leeds said Mr Jeffrey had no visible injuries at the time.

Over the course of the next few days Mr Jeffrey sent text messages to his mother complaining of feeling unwell.

Macken was filmed on CCTV on a number of occasions going to his local Sainsbury's store to buy vodka, cigarettes and wine.

Mr Jeffrey was last seen alive at the store on April 11 when he used Macken's credit card to buy vodka and Lucozade.

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Ms Hudson said Mr Jeffrey did not appear to be in any discomfort on the footage.

Neighbours later heard banging coming from Macken's flat that was so loud it could be heard over the sound of the TV.

Ms Hudson said they described the sound as being "like furniture banging against a wall."

Macken called emergency services to his home and Mr Jeffrey was pronounced dead by paramedics at 3.38pm.

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The defendant told police Mr Jeffrey had been drinking "a lot of vodka", had fallen over repeatedly and had been sick.

He claimed he had put his friend in the bath and then helped him get into bed.

Extensive injuries to Mr Jeffrey's body were discovered during a post mortem.

He had suffered nine fractured ribs and an injury to his spleen which had caused him to lose over a litre of blood internally.

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A pathologist concluded that Mr Jeffrey had suffered the injuries as a result of a "sustained physical assault."

Ms Hudson told the jury: "The Crown says that Daniel Jeffrey received his fatal injuries at the hands of this defendant as a result of an unlawful assault.

"An assault that would have involved numerous heavy impacts.

"He beat Daniel Jeffrey to death. There is no other mechanism by which Daniel Jeffrey could have received his injuries.

"No one else could have caused these injuries.

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"There is no evidence or suggestion that a third party was involved.

"The Crown says that this defendant was responsible for those injuries and murdered Daniel Jeffrey."

The jury will continue to consider the verdict tomorrow (March 9) from 10am.