Man, 50, said dead girlfriend, 83, 'fell off sofa' after 'abnormal' neck bruise spotted

Ursula Uhlemann was 83 erstwhile she died astatine the location successful Kilburn, London. Her 50-year-old fellow Steven Clark is connected proceedings astatine Soutwark Crown Court accused of her murder

A antheral accused of murdering his aged girlfriend claimed she 'fell disconnected the sofa' aft a paramedic noticed 'abnormal' bruising connected her cervix and humor successful her mouth.

Steven Clark is connected proceedings aft 83-year-old Ursula Uhlemann died successful March past year. Southwark Crown Court heard paramedics tried to springiness her CPR for astir an hour, portion 50-year-old Mr Martin, appearing ‘distressed', broke down successful tears and offered to help. Four paramedics gave grounds that nary of their procedures including thorax compressions, ventilation, and a cannula into her limb bone, should person caused marks oregon bruising to her neck.

Under questioning from authoritative Mukul Chaula KC, paramedic Alexandra Keogh said she noticed "bruising" to the bottommost of Ms Uhlemann’s near eye, close cheek, chin, neck, and interior arm, positive "dried blood" successful the patient's mouth, the borderline of her lips, astir her teeth, and connected her tongue. She told the tribunal that erstwhile she asked Mr Martin what happened, helium said helium past spoke to Ms Uhlemann astatine astir 2am and recovered her unresponsive connected her backmost connected the level astatine 3am, and believed she had fallen from the sofa and instantly called 999.

Ms Keogh said: “I asked wherever she got the bruises from and helium told maine that she fell a batch and helium would not prosecute further with me. I believed the bruising was abnormal, truthful I asked respective times, but aft the archetypal remark astir her falling helium did not privation to engage." The paramedic explained she thought the placement of bruising was ‘abnormal’ for idiosyncratic who had fallen, and that she thought it was ‘odd’ Mr Martin could not spell Ms Uhlemann’s sanction quality claiming to beryllium her spouse for six years.

But Ms Keogh told defence counsel Jeremy Wainwright KC she was not alert if Mr Martin had immoderate peculiar needs oregon illiteracy erstwhile she made the observation. Ms Keogh insisted she was “not mistaken astatine all” erstwhile she recalled Mr Martin had changed his apparel portion 2 of the paramedics were retired of the room, reports MyLondon.

Omar Abdi, different paramedic who was portion of a two-man ambulance unit connected the day, told the tribunal determination was nary invasive interaction with Ms Uhlemann’s cervix during their treatment. Mr Abdi besides told the assemblage helium could retrieve Mr Martin “looked similar a cervid successful the headlights” with a “frozen wide-eyed look connected his face”. He told the jury: "The interest that stuck retired to maine the most, that helium mentioned a fewer times, was aft the diligent was declared arsenic deceased by us, helium was disquieted the assembly would evict him and marque him stateless due to the fact that helium was not connected the tenancy… astatine assorted times portion treating the patient."

Mr Abdi’s workfellow Okezie Ogbulafor told the tribunal Mr Martin “seemed precise overwhelmed and confused”. He told the assemblage that erstwhile helium tended to Ms Uhlemann, she was inactive warm, with nary signs of humor pooling oregon stiffness associated with older bodies. Asked by Mr Chaula if helium ever compressed Ms Ulhemann’s neck, Mr Ogbulafor said: “Absolutely not.”

Liam Cunningham, the 4th paramedic connected the scene, told the tribunal Mr Martin “behaved however you would expect idiosyncratic to behave, disposable crying, upset, and distress”, and that helium helped Mr Martin calm down aft an evident panic attack. When helium offered to transportation retired a intelligence wellness assessment, Mr Martin declined, jurors heard.

Sharon Francis, a Westminster Council residential manager astatine Juniper House, said Ms Ulhemann had lived astatine her level since 2016 and was excessively frail to locomotion precise acold without help. Ms Francis said she made a safeguarding referral to societal services but her concerns “did not spell immoderate further”. Mr Martin’s narration with Ms Ulhemann was “on and off”, Ms Francis said. On the time of Ms Ulhemann’s death, Ms Francis recovered Mr Martin sitting connected the measurement extracurricular the house, wherever helium said his spouse was dead, the tribunal heard.

Mr Martin denies murder. The proceedings continues.