Mother-of-five murdered by boyfriend, court hears
The body of Holly Sanchez, 32, was found at a bungalow in Oates Walk, Crawley, on 13 May 2023
- Published
A Sussex mother-of-five was murdered by her abusive boyfriend whilst he was on bail, a court has heard.
Holly Sanchez, 32, was found dead in a bungalow on Oates Walk in Crawley, West Sussex, on 13 May 2023.
On Tuesday a jury heard that Ryan Evans, 31, had been arrested on several occasions but had denied abusing her.
Mr Evans, from Crawley, who is on trial at at Brighton Crown Court, denies Ms Sanchez's murder.
At the time of her death, Mr Evans was on bail with conditions prohibiting contact with Ms Sanchez, the court heard.
Prosecutor Ryan Richter told the jury that Ms Sanchez was found with multiple injuries and a "swollen face completely discoloured by bruising".
"In the short time they were together, Mr Evans regularly subjected her to domestic violence, beating her and hurting her", Mr Richter said.
A post mortem examination of Ms Sanchez’s body showed chest injuries and damage to her left lung that had caused her to develop pneumonia, leading to her death.
A medical expert told the court her significant brain injury was similar to those sustained after car crashes and falls from significant heights.
Doorbell footage
On April 18, Ms Sanchez told police in an interview that she was scared Mr Evans would kill her but called the following day to retract her statement.
Adam Roberts, a friend of Mr Evans, told police that the day before Ms Sanchez's death he had seen Mr Evans "going mental" at her, punching her and stamping on her head.
The jury also heard that a neighbour's doorbell camera had captured footage of Mr Evans dragging Ms Sanchez by her hair through the street.
Mr Evans told police during his arrest on 13 May that Ms Sanchez had turned up at his home two days before, bleeding from her nose and mouth.
He said she had been alive when he went to sleep on the sofa but he had woken up to find her unresponsive and called the police.
He also denies unlawful wounding, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour.
The trial continues.
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