A PATHOLOGIST told a murder trial jury yesterday that a prostitute must have had her airway blocked for up to a minute before she died.

Dr John McCarthy was giving evidence in the trial at Teesside Crown Court of Shuan Tuley, who denies murdering 20-year-old Kellie Mallinson, of Middlesbrough.

Tuley, 30, of Mannion Court, Middlesbrough, has offered a plea of guilty to manslaughter.

Dr McCarthy said two post-mortem examinations had given the cause of Miss Mallinson's death as asphyxiation, as a result of force being applied to her airways for a minimum of 30 seconds, and for as long as a minute.

However, defence pathologist Dr James Sunter, told the court Dr McCarthy had "got it wrong".

He said he could not rule out the cause of her death being "vagal inhibition" - cardiac arrest brought on by pressure on the neck, which could happen very quickly and with relatively little pressure.

Dr Sunter said that was a "rare occurrence", but added that Miss Mallinson's symptoms of asphyxiation were not pronounced.

The court previously heard that Miss Mallinson, a heroin addict, was found asphyxiated last September 10, on the Cannon Park Industrial Estate, Middlesbrough.

In police interviews, Mr Muller said, Tuley admitted having had sex with Miss Mallinson on the night that she died.

A statement by Tuley's former girlfriend said he had told her the day after the killing that it was he who had been attacked.

Michelle Briddock said Tuley had been out on Saturday, September 9, when he claimed to have been "jumped" by two men as he walked home through North Ormesby.

He told his girlfriend that while one man put his hands round his neck and tried to strangle him, the other hit him.

The trial continues