Murder trial told victim bound and gagged in savage beating
A 39-year-old man was battered and bludgeoned to death in his own home after admitting to a neighbour that he fancied a girl aged 15 or 16, a jury was told.
Wayne Kendall, who lived in the flat below Kevin Shepperson and had allegedly been invited up for a chat, “saw red” after hearing the confession, it was claimed.
The 22-year-old launched a savage attack and was joined by both his cousin Nazeem Kendall and friend Cameron MacKenzie who were staying with him, alleged Mr Alan Kent QC, prosecuting at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
The victim was kicked and stamped on as well as being beaten with a dumbbell, maintained the prosecutor.
Mr Shepperson suffered injuries to his brain and ribs during the onslaught on the morning of August 21, the court was told.
The body was bound hand and foot with a T-shirt stuffed in the mouth to gag the victim.
A friend made the horrific discovery the next day in the top floor flat of the block in Bloxwich Road South, Willenhall.
Wayne Kendall was seen on CCTV climbing the outside of the building from his second floor flat to enter the home of security conscious Mr Shepperson – he had three locks on his front door – through a window, it was alleged.
His 21-year-old cousin and MacKenzie were the two figures seen using the stairs to reach the scene at around 9.15am on August 21, claimed Mr Kent.
The flat was ransacked. Fifteen minutes later three people were seen returning to Wayne Kendall’s flat where some of the stolen property was later discovered, the jury was told.
He was arrested three days later and admitted taking goods from the victim’s flat and assaulting the man but did not want him killed, continued the prosecutor.
Wayne Kendall claimed Mr Shepperson, a drug and drink addict, had called him up to the flat where he admitted finding the teenage daughter of a woman they knew attractive.
The defendant said he lost his temper, “saw red,” punched and kneed the victim.
Then MacKenzie joined in, it was said. Wayne Kendall claimed to have asked him to stop but admitted putting the T-shirt in the mouth of Mr Shepperson to “shut him up”, said Mr Kent.
The three men stayed that night at the Beverley Hotel in Lichfield Road, Walsall and used Mr Shepperson’s bank card to pay the bill, it was claimed.
Wayne and 21-year-old Nazeem Kendall, of no fixed address, both deny murder and robbery.
MacKenzie, also 21, has admitted murder and will be sentenced at the end of the trial which continues.
