A BONE specialist who examined an alleged torture victim after his death has told a jury that some of the fractures to his ribs were caused up to a fortnight before his death.

Professor Anthony Freemont said it was also his belief that some of the bones had started to heal, but were cracked again only hours before Andrew Gardner died.

The 21 separate rib fractures were among more than 100 injuries found on Mr Gardner’s battered body – which included cuts and burns – as well as bleeding on the brain.

Prof Freemont was one of six experts called in by police following Mr Gardner’s death, who have given or will give evidence during a three-week murder trial.

A pathologist, a plastic surgeon, a neurosurgeon, a consultant in accident and emergency medicine and a brain specialist also helped the Durham Police investigation.

Teesside Crown Court has heard that the rib fractures were the kind usually found in the victims of car crashes or in people who had fallen from considerable heights.

It is alleged that Mr Gardner, 35, had his side stamped on and jumped on, was scalded, cut, and whipped with curtain wire, and beaten with knotted tea-towels.

Plastic surgeon, Sarah Pape, said she believed he had boiling water poured on his feet from a kettle, and was held against a radiator for up to 20 seconds on several occasions.

C-shaped burns on his neck and back were consistent with Mr Gardner being “branded”

with a heated cigarette lighter being forced against him, Dr Pape told the jury.

She said that the state of the scalds on his feet – completely blister-free – meant Mr Gardner must have moved very little between them being caused and his death.

“He either did not, or could not get up and walk,” she said.

“He was not sitting with his feet towards the floor, such as in a chair. We are talking about lying horizontally.”

Mr Gardner’s partner, Clare Nicholls, 28, her brother Simon, 24, and her ex-lover, Steven Martin, 44, who she was still sleeping with at the time, all deny murder.

The victim lived with the three defendants at a house in Arthur Street, Chilton, County Durham, at the time of Mr Gardner’s death on March 13 last year.

Home Office pathologist, Dr Nigel Cooper, told the jury: “There is no doubt that Andrew Gardner was severely and repeatedly burned, beaten and tortured.

“A number of weapons had been used, including some form of whip, a sharp object such as a knife, and a cigarette lighter. He had been jumped on repeatedly and forcefully.”

The case continues.

Paramedics tell of reaction by accused

ALLEGED murderer Clare Nicholls sat smoking with her “on-the-side” lover as medics looked to see if they could save the life of her boyfriend, a jury was told.

Miss Nicholls and Steven Martin watched as Alan Flinders checked for a pulse and to establish whether Andrew Gardner was breathing as he lay prone on the floor.

When the pair were told that 35-year-old Mr Gardner’s life could not be saved, Miss Nicholls sobbed “a little bit”, the murder trial at Teesside Crown Court heard.

The ambulance crew was called to the house under the impression that he had just collapsed unconscious after being attacked by a gang when he was out for a walk.

Miss Nicholls’ brother, Simon, made the 999 call at 11.27pm on March 13 last year, and answered the door to paramedic Mr Flinders and his colleague, Katie Simpson.

He maintained the story he had given the operator, but Mr Flinders said he quickly had doubts about it, and called police after pronouncing Mr Gardner dead.

Paul Sloan, prosecuting, asked him: “What was the reaction – if there was any – from any of those three individuals when you informed them that Mr Gardner was deceased?”

Mr Flinders replied: “Miss Nicholls did cry a little bit, and expressed some emotion.”

The paramedic’s assistant, Ms Simpson, told the court that Miss Nicholls and Mr Martin were sitting at the dining room table having a cigarette while they worked on Mr Gardner.