Victim 'named attack pair'

Pawnbroker George Black, of The Square in Bucknell, near Craven Arms, died of his injuries following the attack at his home on December 8 last year.

Giving evidence at Worcester Crown Court yesterday, Constable Nicholas Williams, who attended the incident, said Mr Black named Robert Field and Gareth Powell as his attackers.

Field, 22, of Etnam Street, Leominster and Powell, 29, of The Grove, Shobdon, Leominster, both deny murder.

The jury also heard Shenton Gwillam, a retained firefighter stationed in Clun, was the first to find Mr Black, who was wrapped up in a dressing gown and duvet on his bed.

Mr Gwillam said Mr Black was shaking badly and they administered oxygen therapy. He had burns to his face, chest, thighs and a lot of his hair had been singed. Under the dressing gown, he was wearing the re- mains of his clothes. A digital watch with a plastic strap had melted into his left arm.

Paramedics and police arrived shortly afterwards. Constable Williams said he asked Mr Black who had attacked him and was told it was Field and Powell.

He said: "I passed the information to the sergeant who was standing close by and he wrote the names in his pocket notebook." The court has heard Mr Black's partner Syl- via Marie Smith, who suffered burns in the incident, had been having an affair with Fi- eld and believed she was carrying his child.

Smith, 22, of Cherrybrook Close, Hope-under-Dinmore, Leominster, denies conspiracy to murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Her mother, Sylvia Jane Smith, 42, and her stepfather Steven Smith, 45, both of Cherrybrook Close, deny attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The trial was adjourned until Monday.

By Hannah Costigan at Worcester Crown Court