Haunting moment gran, 72, strolls with suitcase into wrong house in B&B mix-up before homeowner batters her to death
THIS is the haunting moment a gran mistakenly walked into the wrong house in a B&B mix-up before being battered to death by the homeowner.
David Redfern, 46, called Margaret Barnes, 71, a “thieving c***” after discovering her undressed with her false teeth in a glass on a sidetable.
The 21st brute then dragged her outside by her feet in Barmouth, North Wales, and stamped on or kicked the 7.5st pensioner.
Margaret suffered “catastrophic” injuries to her liver that were likened to those seen in a high-speed car crash.
As she lay dying on the ground complaining of chest pains, heartless Redfern “mocked her”.
The homeowner has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 14 years after he was convicted of murder following a trial at Caernarfon Crown Court.
Footage released by the police today shows Margaret’s final moments as she made her way into Redfern’s home by mistake.
The pensioner can be seen staggering slightly as she pulls her suitcase behind her.
She then places her handbag on the side as she prepares to enter the house.
In an emotional victim impact statement, Margaret’s daughter Natalie Barnes said her mum “loved the little things in life”.
She said: “When my mum called out for my dad and brother they were unable to save her.
“As a family we will never get over what has happened. My mum didn’t need to die and we don’t understand why she had to.”
Jurors heard Margaret had mistaken his five-storey home for the Wavecrest B’n’B several doors away.
Prosecutor Michael Jones KC said: “It was a mistake which ultimately cost her her life.”
The large property, called Belmont House, had been a hotel before Redfern renovated it with his partner.
In July last year, Margaret had been seen drinking in several pubs in Barmouth, where she had gone to visit friends.
She then bought a bottle of gin before she tipsily entered Redfern’s home and fell asleep.
Redfern arrived back with his partner to find the gran “semi-naked on the side of the bed” with her belongings strewn across the floor in a mess.
Jurors were told he pulled Margaret down the stairs by her ankles and chucked her suitcase in the street.
He then subjected her to an “utterly gratuitous” and “totally unjustified” attack.
In her final moments, stricken Margaret had mouthed the word “lying” as Redfern spoke with police.
Tragically Margaret, from Birmingham, could not be saved and died at the scene from “traumatic injuries”.
The court heard how Redfern had “self-confessed anger issues” and his reaction was “out of all proportion”.
He claimed to police that Margaret had been aggressive and lunged at his partner as he denied kicking the gran.
But Mr Jones added: “The reason Mrs Barnes died is she had the misfortune of coming across a man who was an angry bully.”
In a statement, Margaret’s family said: “Margaret, who was a much-loved wife, mother and grandmother has now been gone for eight months.
“As a family it has been the hardest time of our lives. It has been especially difficult for Margaret’s husband who had been her partner for 56 years.
“We now have some sort of closure on what has happened, however, no length of sentence will ever fill the void that Margaret has left behind.
“As a family we would like to thank the police for their hard work in putting the case together.”