Jurors told women were 'controlled' by accused.
Byline: Rob Kennedy Court reporter rob.kennedy@ncjmedia.co.ukTORTURE murder accused Zahid Zaman treated alleged victim Jimmy Prout like a "skivvy" and had two of his co-accused under control, a court heard.
Prosecutors say Zaman was the leader of a gang of four who are standing trial accused of brutally murdering the dad-of-two.
It is alleged Jimmy was subjected to humiliating violence which jurors have heard "belongs in the Dark Ages".
On the second day of the murder trial at Newcastle Crown Court, prosecutors began calling evidence setting out the background of accused Zaman, Kay Rayworth, Myra Wood and Ann Corbett.
Jurors heard from friends, family and work colleagues of Wood and Rayworth, who both had relationships with Zaman at different times. Elizabeth Wood, Myra Wood's daughter, said her mum met Zaman on Facebook in around 2011 and began a relationship with him.
She said Zaman, known as Zed, would visit the home of her and her mum and on one occasion he came with Jimmy.
Elizabeth told jurors: "When Jimmy was there I came downstairs to meet him.
"Zed spoke to Jimmy with no respect, like a skivvy, like do your dirty work, if you know what I mean."
Asked about her mum's relationship with Zaman, she said: "She was under his control. She would not have any interest in her kids."
Asked how Wood was under Zaman's control, Elizabeth said: "She just was not interested in us.
"I would try to contact her and I would not get a response. She was all for him, not for us."
The witness said her mum had been caring towards her before meeting Zaman. Francis Fitzgibbon QC, for Wood, asked: "As the relationship with Zed developed did she continue to be caring towards you?" Elizabeth: "No. I used to keep in touch with her, not the other way round."
Mr Fitzgibbon asked: "Do you know why?" Elizabeth replied: "Because of him, because of Zed."
She added: "I would not even call it a relationship. He was in control of my mam."
Laura Sweeney, a former colleague of Rayworth's at a care company, gave evidence about conversations they had in the car at work.
Referring to one of them, she told the court: "Kay said she was really starting to hate Jimmy and she didn't like feeling that way."
Susan Gordon, the church warden at St John's, in Percy Main, said she knew Rayworth from school in the 1970s and they became more friendly around 1996 through their involvement with Percy Main Community Forum.
But she said their friendship suffered after Rayworth met Zaman on an online dating website.
Mrs Gordon said she used to see her friend "every single day" before she met Zaman. She also told how, after she lost contact with her, she had seen Zaman hitting Rayworth during an alleged row at a bus stop which she said she witnessed from her daughter's home.
Mrs Gordon said: "He reached behind them and pulled a stick out, or it might have been a crutch, and hit Kay across the back of the head with it.
"He lifted it again. I said to my sonin-law 'if he does that again I will go down even though we are not friends anymore'. But then the bus came. Kay walked away. She was crying."
Asked how Zaman and Rayworth behaved with each other, Mrs Gordon said: "It was quite controlling because she always had to do what he said."
Mrs Gordon said she later learned Rayworth had converted to the Muslim faith. Rayworth's son and daughter also gave evidence and spoke of difficulties in their dealings with Zaman and a change in their mother after she met him.
Zaman, Corbett, Wood and Rayworth are accused of murdering 45-year-old Jimmy in Percy Main, North Shields, in February last year and then fleecing his bank account even after he had died after returning to the body to steal his bank card.
Zaman, 43, Wood, 50, Rayworth, 56, all Corbett, 26, all of St Stephen's Way, Percy Main, deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult.
They have all pleaded guilty to doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice between February 5 and March 26.
The trial continues.
I would try to contact her and I would not get a response. She was all for him, not for usWitness Elizabeth Wood
CAPTION(S):
Accused Zahid Zaman
Victim Jimmy Prout
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| Publication: | The Journal (Newcastle, England) |
|---|---|
| Date: | May 5, 2017 |
| Words: | 742 |
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