Vincentian Chelsea Grant and Xyaire Howard on trial in the UK for murder
According to the Old Bailey, a couple tied up, undressed, and strangled a pensioner before stealing £13,000 from her bank account and going on a “massive spending spree.”
Chelsea Grant, 28, and Xyaire Howard, 23, were allegedly motivated by avarice when they attacked Ms Hawkey in order to steal her bank card Pin number, according to jurors.
The two deny murdering Ms Hawkey, who was murdered in September of last year.
Her rotting body was discovered 20 days after her death under a duvet.
Ms Hawkey was discovered dead in the main room of her home in Neasden, north-west London, jurors were told.
Her hands were taped and tied behind her back, her eyes were sealed shut, and a ligature was put around her neck.
Annabel Darlow KC, opening the prosecution case, stated that the defendants had picked Ms Hawkey as a “ideal victim” who lived a lonely existence and was a “creature of habit.”
She would follow the same path to the shops and the post office to withdraw cash, and jurors heard that the accused first mugged her on July 27 and then again on August 22.
They later broke into her house using her stolen keys and pinned Ms Hawkey down in a chair while she tried to fight back, according to the court.
The jury was told she was last seen alive on September 6, the same day the accused were seen walking to and from her home.
“When the authorities discovered Susan Hawkey’s decomposing body, she was bound and blindfolded, with a ligature around her neck,” Ms Darlow said.
“For some reason, all of her lower clothing, including her underwear, had been removed, and her upper clothing had been cut down the front.”
Google ‘dead body’ search
According to the Old Bailey, the couple spent hundreds of pounds on luxury items during their spending spree.
Both offenders are also accused of sending money to St Vincent and the Grenadines, causing the victim’s bank account to drop from more than £16,000 to £3,434.03.
The court also heard that Mr Howard searched Google for “Barclays transaction limit” and Ms Grant looked for “can you smell a dead body from outside the house” and “is a dead body a very strong smell”.
The couple, who live on Press Road in Neasden, deny murder and robbery accusations, though Mr Howard has acknowledged to a crime related to the robbery on August 22.
In connection with their use of Ms Hawkey’s bank card, both offenders have pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation.
The trial has been adjourned until Wednesday.
