Norfolk murder jury sent out to consider verdicts

Murder trial jury members heard evidence being summed up in the case of Adam Barnard, 41, who has gone on trial after being accused of killing 33-year-old Tara Kershaw.

Tara Kershaw (Image: Norfolk Police) Miss Kershaw's body was discovered by police at her home in Princes Road, Great Yarmouth, after Barnard had gone to officers in the town telling them "I think I killed my partner".

Adam Barnard (inset) and the scene at Princes Road, Yarmouth (Image: Facebook/Newsquest) She died from compression of the neck and the post-mortem examination revealed evidence of "two episodes" of previous fractures to the larynx or voice box.

Judge Alice Robinson sent jurors out to consider verdicts in the case at 12.37pm on Monday after summing up evidence in the trial which started last month.

She urged them to strive "to reach unanimous verdicts" in the case if they can.

The trial at Norwich Crown Court had heard the pathologist identified a number of recent injuries to Miss Kershaw, including bruising to her neck and jaw area.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest) The hyoid bone, in the neck, showed evidence it had been broken previously and was healing.

While in the larynx, or voice box, there was said to be evidence of "healing from previous breakage or fracturing of those structures" as well as "recent fracturing around the time of death".

The jury heard there were "multiple fractures involving the hyoid bone", with three different ages of fractures.

They were between four and seven weeks before death; five and 10 days before death and six hours before death.

Stephen Spence, prosecuting said "in many respects Tara foretold how she might die and at whose hands.”

Mr Spence said Barnard had attempted to portray Tara as “aggressive, violent and a drunk” and that he was the victim of her violence.

But he said her own “graphic accounts” of the violence and controlling behaviour painted a different picture. 

However, Barnard has claimed he killed her accidentally after suffering an epileptic seizure while he was restraining her.

Giving evidence he said he had been restraining her to stop her from attacking him with a lamp when he “passed out” from a seizure.  

When he came around he found her dead, he claimed.

Barnard, of Princes Road, Yarmouth, has denied murder and manslaughter.

The trial continues.