Lawyer 'battered wife to death in hammer attack'

(First Edition)

A SOLICITOR with the Crown Prosecution Service bludgeoned his wife to death with a hammer, then constructed a bogus defence, a court was told yesterday.

Michael Kallisher QC, for the prosecution, told Liverpool Crown Court: 'The Crown's case is that on the morning of 31 October 1991, in a storeroom at the rear of their home, he clubbed his young wife to death with a lump hammer. He then coldly set about producing an elaborate scenario to confuse the police and disguise from them his guilt.'

Warren Green, 27, of Gidlow Lane, Wigan, Greater Manchester, denies murdering his wife, Julie, 24, a student nurse.

Mrs Green suffered at least 16 fierce blows to her head, Mr Kallisher said. 'What appeared at first to be a frenzied and uncontrolled attack was anything but that,' he said. The position of the wounds on the head and the absence of blows elsewhere indicated a controlled attack. Mr Green used the knowledge he had gained from his job as a Crown Prosecutor, the court was told.

The couple, who had been childhood sweethearts, married in 1989 and bought a house. In December 1990 they bought the house next door, with the idea of enlarging their home by incorporating part of the second property. They planned to let the remainder. For this they had to enlarge their mortgage to pounds 80,000, and needed other loans to pay for renovations.

'Finances were tight, as they are for many young couples,' Mr Kallisher said. But they managed to let the ground floor of the adjoining property to a funeral business, letting the rest as a flat.

Both became infatuated with other people. Mrs Green began a 'passionate affair' with a young man and Mr Green developed a passion for a law student doing vacation work at the Salford branch of the Crown Prosecution Service branch where he worked.

'Divorce would have been difficult and expensive. But Julie's death would solve Green's financial problems,' Mr Kallisher said. Her life was insured for pounds 120,000.

The court was told that on the morning of her death, Mrs Green had been working a night shift at Wigan Infirmary. Warren murdered his wife in the store room at the rear of the house. He then telephoned some of her friends and colleagues to ask about her movements.

parlour and described his recent movements 'to get his story on record at the first possible opportunity,' Mr Kallisher said. The court was told Mr Green claimed he was unable to find the key to the store room and borrowed a key. The undertaker's wife watched as he entered the room and 'discovered' the body.

The trial continues today.

(Photograph omitted)