There were three possible causes of Angela Wrightson's death, Leeds Crown Court was told during the trial of two teenage girls accused of her murder.

Home Office pathologist Dr Mark Egan said the possible causes were loss of blood, a head injury, or asphyxiation, but could not tell which of those was the case.

Image source, Cleveland Police

He told the court that items including a metal pan, two broken glass vases and a wooden stick with protruding screws "were compatible" with Ms Wrightson's many injuries.

She suffered "a bare minimum" of 103 cuts and bruises, including 15 slash wounds to her head.

Friends of the two teenage murderers of Angela Wrightson told Leeds Crown Court how the pair described the attack.

One witness said the younger girl, then aged 13, recounted how Ms Wrightson begged for mercy and said she was scared during the brutal attack.

Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, claimed the girl told her friend Ms Wrightson had said "please don't - stop, I'm scared". 

The witness also said the girl had a hatred of Ms Wrightson, although it was unknown why.

The witness asked her why she hadn't called police if she believed Ms Wrightson might be dead, and said she replied "because I wanted her dead anyway".  

During the seven-week trial, jurors at Leeds Crown Court heard graphic details of the torture suffered by Angela Wrightson during her final hours.

The court was told shards of glass, together with small pieces of gravel or grit were strewn over and around Ms Wrightson's genitals, and ash from burnt paper had been put into her ear.

She was discovered half-naked in her Hartlepool home having suffered 103 injuries including 80 to her face. 

Ms Wrightson, who was a known alcoholic, was struck with items including a shovel, broken glass and a stick with protruding screws and had a TV dropped on her while she was being held down.

The murderers, aged 13 and 14 at the time, were both spattered with Ms Wrightson's blood which prosecutors said was consistent with a long and brutal attack.

The younger girl found guilty of murdering Angela Wrightson said she did not regret killing her as "she had it coming".

Ms Wrightson, who was known to the pair and others as Alco Ange, suffered more than 100 injuries in the brutal attack in her Hartlepool home.

During the trial at Leeds Crown Court, a witness said she heard the girl, who was 13 at the time, say Ms Wrightson deserved to die.

According to the witness, the younger girl said she "did not regret" the death of the victim because "she had it coming".

The schoolgirl killers of Angela Wrightson wept in the dock and were immediately removed from court after being found guilty at Leeds Crown Court or murdering the 39-year-old.

The seven-week trial heard that the girls, who were aged 13 and 14 at the time of the attack in December 2014, used a variety of weapons, including a coffee table and a computer printer, to carry out the "sustained and brutal" attack over a prolonged period. 

The jury of eight women and four men deliberated for just over three hours before returning the guilty verdicts.  

The girls, both now aged 15, will be sentenced on Thursday. 

The two teenage murderers of Angela Wrightson took a break during the attack, the court heard during their trial.

The pair went to Miss Wrightson's house on the evening of 8 December 2014 to drink cider.

They left the house during the night and returned in the early hours of the following day to carry on the attack.

The court also heard the girls, aged 14 and 13, used the police as a 'taxi' to take them home after the fatal attack.

The two teenage murderers of Angela Wrightson took a selfie of themselves with her during the brutal attack and shared it on messaging service Snapchat.

The pair also took a picture of themselves smiling in the back of a police van after being arrested for the December 2014 killing.

The older of the two girls, who were aged 14 and 13 at the time, said she did not believe Ms Wrightson could die from being assaulted.

During weeks of evidence at Leeds Crown Court, jurors heard graphic details of how the two schoolgirls beat Angela Wrightson to death.

The 39-year-old was found in her blood-spattered Hartlepool home in 2014 with at least 103 injuries.

Two girls, then aged 13 and 14, have today been convicted of murder.

The girl described attacking  Ms Wrightson, telling the court the pair of them "stamped on Angie's face", threw a television and printer at her and together picked up a table and "whacked Angie in the face with it, two times".

Image source, Hartlepool Council

Two 15-year-old girls have been found guilty of murdering Angela Wrightson.

The 39-year-old woman was found battered to death in her home in Hartlepool in December 2014.

She had suffered more than 100 injuries after being attacked with weapons including a coffee table and TV.

The girls were aged 14 and 13 at the time of the murder.

Image source, Cleveland Police

Two teenage girls have been found guilty of the murder of Angela Wrightson.

More to follow.

Officers are continuing to visit houses around Westbourne Road in Hartlepool where the body of Norma Bell, 79, was found on Sunday to see if residents have any information.

People with elderly or vulnerable neighbours or relatives are being urged by police to keep an eye on their wellbeing. They also reminded people not to let strangers into their home without first checking their identification.

Det Supt Alastair Simpson said: “I would again like to take this opportunity to appeal to anyone living in the local area who may have seen or heard anything suspicious from late on Saturday evening into Sunday morning in Westbourne Road to contact police."

A photograph of a handbag belonging to a woman found dead after a house fire in Hartlepool has been released by police investigating her murder.

The body of 79-year-old Norma Bell was discovered inside the house in Westbourne Road on Sunday morning.

Senior Investigating Officer, Det Supt Alastair Simpson, said: “We believe that a substantial amount of cash was taken from Norma’s home as well as her handbag.

“If anyone has noticed that someone they know has come into some money over the last couple of days and is concerned about a change in their behaviour, it is really important that they contact police.

Image source, Cleveland Police

“Again, I would appeal to anyone with private CCTV in the area to check their footage and see if there is anything on there between Saturday evening and Sunday morning which could assist us with our investigation.”  

Detectives investigating the murder of a 79-year-old woman whose body was found after a house fire in Hartlepool say they believe a "substantial" amount of cash was also taken.

The body of 79-year-old Norma Bell was discovered inside the house in Westbourne Road on Sunday morning.  

Forensic experts are still at the scene and Cleveland Police said they believed hundreds of pounds appeared to have been taken from the house as well as her handbag.

Police said Mrs Bell, who had been a foster parent to more than 50 children and would have turned 80 next month, died before the fire started.  

Image source, Cleveland Police

Rain and drizzle slowing clearing throughout the afternoon, with the chance of brighter spells later.

Skies will clear during the evening, when it will become rather chilly.

An 18-year-old has been arrested after a man was wounded with what is believed to be an axe.

It follows a report of a group of youths fighting outside a shop in the Teams area of Gateshead on Monday evening.

A 20-year-old man was taken to hospital suffering from a serious head injury.

The arrested male is being questioned on suspicion of wounding.

BBC Sport

Sam Lockwood is to join Newcastle Falcons from Championship side Jersey at the end of the 2015-16 season.

The 27-year-old joined the islanders in January 2014 from Leeds Carnegie on loan before making a permanent move later that year. 

Newcastle's director of rugby Dean Richards said: "Sam has been recognised as the best scrummaging loose-head in the Championship. 

"He is a good all-round player who will benefit from the challenge of stepping up to the Premiership."

Rail passengers in the North East are being warned there may be a knock-on effect in terms of delays and cancellations after overhead electric wires at Birmingham International Airport stopped working.

Virgin and Cross Country services are among those affected, with routes including London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Lottery funding is to breathe new life into Darlington Civic Theatre, external.

The Grade II-Listed building has been awarded a £4.5m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

It will be used to create a new entrance and promenade gallery, celebrating its heritage, and for a vaulted function room in the former water tower.

Image source, Darlington Civic Theatre

Once work is complete, in Autumn 2017, it will reopen as the Darlington Hippodrome. 

Hartlepool Mail
Newspaper

A Hartlepool man who climbed on a taxi roof and abused the driver has been warned by a judge to control his temper., external

Businesses across Northumberland are being invited to find out how to be a supplier for a maritime event during the summer.

The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta Blyth 2016 is taking place during the August Bank Holiday weekend, and is expected to attract more than 30 Tall Ships and thousands of visitors.

Northumberland County Council is holding an event to highlight opportunities for local companies to get involved in the supply of goods and services, including catering, security services, fairgrounds and deckchairs.

This will take place at Blyth Workspace next Tuesday.