Murder-accused beat ex to death - prosecutors

Melissa Eastick died in Sunderland in October 2023

A woman was beaten to death over several days by her violent ex-partner, a murder trial has heard.

Melissa Eastick, 36, had more than 100 injuries including broken bones, extensive bruising and cigarette burns when she died in Sunderland in October 2023, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Stephen Todd, 41, denies murder.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Peter Glenser KC said Ms Eastick was "frail and vulnerable" and her death from a brain injury was "neither quick nor easy".

Mr Todd called 999 at about 07:00 BST on 17 October last year to say Ms Eastick was unconscious and not breathing at his home on Stockton Terrace in Grangetown, Mr Glenser said.

He claimed he had last seen Ms Eastick at 19:30 the previous day and she was "all right", the court heard.

Mr Glenser said that, like a "great deal" Mr Todd was to go on to say, was a "lie", adding: "There was no way Melissa Eastick was 'all right' the day before.

"Her death was neither quick nor easy."

The prosecutor said she had sustained about 123 injuries and the fatal injury would have "rendered her profoundly unconscious for some days before her death".

'Turbulent relationship'

Mr Glenser said she was "repeatedly assaulted over a period of some days" and Mr Todd meant to kill her or at least cause really serious harm.

Mr Todd denied hurting her and claimed when she arrived at his home on 13 October she already had facial injuries, the court heard.

He also went on to say she fell down the stairs on 16 October but was still conscious that night, Mr Glenser said.

Police trawled hundreds of hours of CCTV footage in the area around Mr Todd's home and while there was not complete coverage, no-one else was seen entering or leaving the flat, the court heard.

Mr Glenser said that meant if someone else had attacked Ms Eastick, they would have "had to gain access to the flat on several occasions and, coincidentally, leave at exactly the times that the camera footage was lost".

He said Mr Todd and Ms Eastick both had long-standing alcohol issues and were in a "turbulent" on-off relationship since 2018.

Prosecutors say Melissa Eastick was murdered at Stephen Todd's first-floor flat in Grangetown

The last recorded sighting of her was going to a nearby Asda with Mr Todd to buy food on 2 October, the court heard, and no injuries were visible.

Four days later, Vodafone made a recording of of a two-minute long sales call to Ms Eastick's mobile phone which was the "last proof of life", Mr Glenser said, adding she was "never seen or heard of after that".

Mr Todd told friends Ms Eastick had "gone" on 16 October, and he used her bank card to withdraw cash, the court heard.

Forensic officers found "significant blood staining" throughout Mr Todd's flat and discovered a duvet "heavily stained" with Ms Eastick's blood, Mr Glenser said.

Jurors heard the 999 call in which Mr Todd said Ms Eastick had gone to bed the night before but he now could not wake her, with the call handler talking him through CPR.

The trial, which is estimated to last 10 days, continues.