Drug addict cleared of Bristol murder

An addict has been cleared of taking part in the brutal murder of a fellow drug user, who was beaten to death in a Bristol flat.

A jury yesterday acquitted David Norman of the murder of David Hughes, whose body was found after a fire was started at his home in Twinnell House, off Stapleton Road, Easton, in October last year.

Another addict who admitted Mr Hughes' murder – Nigel "Pit-bull" Griffin – faces at least 20 years in jail when he is sentenced next month, after a jury decided he alone could be proved to have carried out the attack which left his victim with 80 injuries.

Bristol Crown Court heard 44-year-old Mr Hughes had reluctantly given Griffin and Mr Norman access to his home.

It was claimed that, because Mr Hughes was suspected of eating some of their food and taking some of their drugs, he was beaten to death before his body was set on fire in an attempt to destroy the evidence.

Homeless Griffin, aged 32, pleaded guilty to murder but Mr Norman, of Havilland House, St Jude's, denied the charge.

The 40-year-old cupped his hands to his face and gave a nod of thanks to the jury when the not guilty verdict was returned.

Mr Hughes' father Roger, aged 70, from Radyr in Cardiff, who attended the murder trial every day with his wife Jean, 67, said: "Personally I felt that there wasn't enough evidence in this case to suggest Norman was guilty and so the verdict didn't come as a surprise.

"As for Griffin, I don't know what to say. All I can say is I can't understand how anyone could do such a terrible thing and there was no evidence of why he did it.

"Whatever it was it was small change in the context of his reaction, it is beyond understanding.

"With Griffin's sentence at least we'll see justice done. It would be a big chance to let him out and I would say keep him behind bars for life or he will do it again."

Detective Inspector Nick Papuca, one of the senior investigating police officers in the case, said: "Mr Hughes was well known in the Stapleton Road area and we had a lot of support and assistance from the local community.

"We presented our case and the jury believed Mr Norman was not involved."

Frances Oldham, prosecuting, told the jury 10 small fires were set in the property in an attempt to hide the evidence.

She told the jury: "The trigger for the savage assault may have been a dispute over drugs. All three were heavy users of Class A drugs, including heroin and cocaine."

Mrs Oldham told the court Mr Hughes lived alone at the flat and those who knew him described him as a kind, harmless and vulnerable man.

"He was a drug user and a heavy drinker. He had had some mental health problems over the years."

Mr Hughes' body was discovered on October 1 last year after a visitor to Twinnell House noticed smoke coming from his flat and called the fire brigade.

A fire investigation revealed 10 places where fires had been started throughout the tiny one bedroom flat, the jury heard.

Newspaper, clothes, duvets and furniture had been piled up around Mr Hughes' body and several items, including a wooden table leg and rocking chair, were stained with his blood.

Mr Hughes' blood was also found on Norman's clothes but he said this was because Mr Hughes had earlier cut himself and splashed blood on him.

Mr Hughes was attacked with a number of items, including the table leg as well as saucepans and even an aluminium bucket, which was found, dented, at the scene.

A Home Office pathologist said Mr Hughes suffered 80 external injuries including fractures to his skull and face, larynx, arms, ribs, breastbone, both shoulder blades, lower spine, left thigh bone and both knees.

Griffin took to the witness box and made an emotional claim that he and his co-accused were jointly involved in the murder.

Giving evidence in his own defence, Norman said he had been asleep after taking a cocktail of heroin and crack cocaine, cut with the sedative Rohypnol.

"The next thing I remember was waking up to all hell breaking loose," he said.

Norman said he made "a couple of attempts" to tell Griffin to stop the attack but he was in a stupor and didn't want to be involved.

He said: "I do feel terrible that this man lost his life."