Kidderminster stairs death wife's injuries 'support assault theory'
A woman who was found dead at the bottom of the stairs had injuries which "strongly" indicate she was assaulted, Worcester Crown Court has heard.
Alan Evans, 35, has denied the murder of his wife of 12 years, Louise Evans, 32, at their Kidderminster home.
Mrs Evans had 46 injuries when she was was found lying next to a skipping rope in July 2012.
Pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar said the presence of a "blowout" fracture in her right eye suggested she was attacked.
As well as a broken right eye socket, the court heard Mrs Evans had bruising under her left eye, large abrasions on her nose, bruising underneath her upper lip and a large bruise on the top of her skull.
Mr Evans, who had been having a relationship with another woman, told neighbours his wife fallen in the night while he was asleep.
The prosecution alleges Mr Evans pushed his wife before trying to make it look like an accident.
Jonas Hankin QC, prosecuting, asked Dr Kolar whether the blowout fracture in Mrs Evans' eye alone "supports evidence that she was assaulted".
"Yes, very strongly so," Dr Kolar said.
Mr Hankin added: "You have said it was difficult to see how she received injuries to her face and eye other than an assault?"
"When you look at the totality of those injuries, yes," the doctor said.
The jury was told that by the time a neighbour got to Mrs Evans, she had been dead more than an hour.
Rudi Fortson, defending, said there was "no dispute" Mrs Evans had fallen down the stairs.
He added that it was possible the woman could have hit the "steps, the banister and the wall" on the way down.
Asking about her injuries, Mr Fortson said: "Would light or moderate force be required to cause the fracture?"
Dr Kolar said the bottom and side of her eye socket bone were thin.
"I cannot tell you what force would be needed, but there have been documented cases where those fractures have been caused by people violently blowing their nose," he said.
The case continues.