A MURDER victim found dead in her flat, which looked like "a bomb had hit it" had had her throat hacked and slashed, a court heard.

Julie Davison was discovered on the floor of her ransacked flat surrounded in blood by her sister and brother-in-law, Dawn and William Kibble.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Ms Davison had suffered severe neck injuries during the attack in her Whitby home in April last year.

Jurors also heard how Colin Dunford was found dead after he suffered multiple fractures to his cheek, nose and jaw in a sustained attack three days earlier in his Middlesbrough home.

James Allen, 36, of Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, denies two charges of murder.

The Kibbles, told the hearing, how they went to Ms Davison’s flat after they became concerned about the 50-year-old's welfare as she suffered from epilepsy and other medical conditions.

Mr Kibble, Ms Davison's brother-in-law, told jurors how they let themselves into her flat with a spare key.

He said: “I walked straight in, the wife screamed and immediately left, I saw Julie laid on the floor. I saw blood and could see Julie wasn't breathing.

“The flat looked as if a bomb had hit it - it had obviously been ransacked.”

He added: “I felt her pulse, that was the first thing that I did, then I realised straight away that she was dead.”

Pparamedic David Ward, whose evicence was read out to the jury, said: “I could see the female was covered in blood and had suffered a large open neck wound. I could see her muscle and arteries were exposed, there was a cut across the windpipe area.”

Pathologist Nigel Cooper said Ms Davison had suffered 31 stab wounds to her neck, throat and shoulder as well severe bruising to her head consistent with being kicked and stamped on.

He said there was also evidence of defence wounds on Ms Davison’s hands and arms.

“The slash wound across the throat, it was not one cut it was repeated hacking with a sharp object such as a knife,” he said.

When asked by defence barrister John Bromley-Davenport about the brutality of the attack on Ms Davison, Mr Cooper said: “I would say it’s at the top end of nastiness.”

The jury was shown CCTV footage of Mr Allen selling a distinctive gold St Christopher necklace which the prosecution say is identical to one stolen from Ms Davison’s flat following her murder.

Pathologist Mr Cooper also told the jury the extent of the injuries Mr Dunford suffered when he was attacked in his own home.

He said the pensioner had suffered several fractures to his cheek, jaw, palate and nose which were caused by blunt force trauma.

The jury heard how Mr Dunford would have died rapidly due to the severity of his injuries.

As the day’s evidence drew to a close, Mr Allen stormed out of the dock after making another outburst towards the judge Mr Justice Openshaw.

Mr Allen shouted: “This is my trial, my life on the line. I’ll speak when I want to speak.”

After the defendant stormed out of the dock, Mr Justice Openshaw told his defence team: “I run this trial, not the defendant. He understands the position perfectly well.”

The trial continues.