Keogh, who occasionally walked Mrs Hings’ dogs, denies murder, rape and burglary. Birmingham Crown Court heard that Mrs Hings was found dead in her bed at her bungalow in Fleckney, Staffordshire. Prosecutor Mary Prior said Keogh, now 27, had been on a night out in Oadby before getting a taxi home, walking to Mrs Hings’ home in Elizabeth Road, and breaking in.
Mrs Prior said that as well as twice raping Mrs Hings and killing her, Keogh stole her wedding and engagement rings from her fingers, along with her purse, handbag, cash and other items. She said: ‘Craig Keogh went into Jane Hings’ house while she was in bed.
‘While she was alive she was raped. She was also smothered – we think by the pillow that was found under her head.’ She was found by two carers who visited her daily because she was ‘frail’ after a fall. Keogh’s DNA was found inside the victim’s body and his baseball cap was found behind her bed, Mrs Prior said.
A bar worn in a tongue piercing was also found on Mrs Hings’ body. Keogh told detectives he had previously agreed with Mrs Hings to go over that night and have sex with her. He claimed he went over on the evening of September 23 and she paid him £200. However, Mrs Prior said CCTV evidence from Oadby disproved that version of events.
The first witness in the trial, Amy Talbot, described the night out in Oadby. She said Keogh was ‘wide eyed’ from taking drugs, and said he smashed a wing mirror off a car, ripped up flowers, pulled at trees and jumped on a van. He also threatened to assault a group of men, Mrs Prior said, telling them he had ‘seen a man shanked’ and he had ‘a piece’. The trial continues.
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