Joanna Doman: Landlady 'killed by lodger in row over the number of baths he had'

The court was told Mrs Doman was 'frightened' of her lodger

Joanna Doman (Family photo)

A lodger killed his landlady in a row over his hot water usage from having two baths a day, a court was told.

Jesse Harper, 22, pushed 55-year-old Joanna Doman down the stairs at her cottage in Peasedown St John, Somerset, in May, the prosecution alleged at Bristol Crown Court on Monday.

Mrs Doman sustained severe head injuries and later died at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

Mr Harper denies a single charge of manslaughter.

On the weekend she died, Mrs Doman had moved out of her home after allegedly slapping Mr Harper during an argument. But she returned each morning to feed her cats.

Prosecutor Anna Vigars told the court: “As [Mrs Doman] was standing at the top of the stairs trying to turn off the hot water, Jesse Harper pushed her away in anger and it was that which led to her falling down the stairs and ultimately her death.”

When Mr Harper was arrested, he reportedly told the police: “She came up the stairs and pushed me and she fell down the stairs, how is that my fault?”

A neighbour reportedly heard raised voices coming from the cottage on the morning of 11 May.

Mrs Doman’s mother, Josephine Farr, said she overheard the incident because she was on the phone to her daughter at the time.

The phone line went dead and after Mrs Farr's call was not answered upon redialling, she called the police. She told them she had heard a muffled sound before.

Mr Harper had started renting Mrs Doman’s spare room in November 2014 for £40 a week. But shortly after, friends said they started having “niggly arguments”.

As Mr Harper had no income, rent was an “area of friction”. Mrs Harper had asked him to leave the property by the time of her death.

Ms Vigars told the court: "[Mrs Doman] noticed [Mr Harper] had an expensive habit with the necessity for him to have a couple of baths a day and the need to heat the water.”

She said Mrs Doman was “frightened of him and how he reacted when she asked him not to use so much water and to pay the rent”.

The trial is ongoing.

Additional reporting by PA