Steven & Julie Beards On Trial For The Heinous Rape & Murder Of Susan Whiting

[CbabyRKO]

A married couple lured a 20-year-old woman with learning difficulties into their home before drugging, raping and murdering her with a hammer, a court heard today.

Steven Beards, 34, of Bentley, West Midlands, is accused of murdering and raping Susan Whiting in Bloxwich last August while wife Julie Beards, 35, of Walsall, is also accused of murder. Both deny the charges.

Ms Whiting was attacked with a blunt object and discovered with a fractured skull, her wrists bound and a plastic bag over her head, the prosecution said at the opening of the murder trial at Leicester Crown Court.

Police found her body wrapped in a shower curtain under the couple's bed, the court heard.

Opening the case today, prosecutor Gareth Evans said Ms Whiting had been invited to have dinner and stay the night by Mrs Beards on August 17 last year when she was drugged.

He said: 'They killed her by hitting her on the head with a blunt object, probably this hammer and by compressing her neck.

'Why she was killed remains a mystery. Was it all about sex or was it a grudge also being settled?'

The court heard Susan was reported missing by her worried mother Maureen after she went to stay with the pair at their bungalow on August 17 last year.

Julie Beards, who has learning difficulties, appeared in court wearing a pink fleece alongside a carer and Steven, who was in a black fleece with slicked back, greasy hair.

The court heard between them they first sedated Susan with prescription medicine Julie stole from a friend before launching their attack.


Steven tied her to a bed with cable ties and raped her before the couple fractured her head with a hammer and hid the body, jurors were told.

The court heard Ms Whiting's mother Maureen was due to pick her daughter up from the property the following afternoon.


Mr Evans said: 'She never did, because we say that by the time that she arrived, Susan had been drugged, raped and killed and hidden under the single divan bed.

'Susan was a friend of Julie Beards and had on occasions visited Julie and had stayed overnight at the bungalow.

'It seems however that Julie Beards resented the fact that Susan had other friends and felt that their friendship was cooling.'

A post mortem revealed that Ms Whiting was struck to the head at least three times and traces of 'sedating hypnotic drug' Zopiclone was found in a blood sample.

[…]

As part of the prosecution opening, Mr Evans said the couple had been covertly recorded while they were being taken to court.

If you can take this rap for me... would you be able to do that? If I go down, you are coming with me.'

She replied: 'Don't start, I haven't done anything wrong.'

Mr Beards said: 'You are involved as I am, I'm gonna spend the rest of my life behind bars. I've done what you asked me to do.'

According to the prosecution, Mr Beards said to his wife: 'I need to stay out and look after the house. You'll get a lighter sentence all right, I'll come and visit you and I'll keep sending you money.

'Just say it was an accident and you lost your temper, you know what I mean. Can you do that for me bab?

The jury also heard Mrs Beards was aware of the effects of Zoplicone as she had drugged a friend.

Mr Evans said: 'There is evidence to suggest that she had, whilst visiting, Matthew Herbert, slipped it into his coffee and watched him fall into a deep sleep.

LINK

 

[JackBurton]

I'm gonna spend the rest of my life behind bars.

The fuck? It's Europe right? This guy only have 5 years to live or something?

 

[mynameiskat]

Under the bed... These two obviously did not think that one out. At least be original. Next person I murder I am going to break into a dudes house a few towns away and put the body under his bed. That will really get them thinking!

 

[CLouise]

 

[Abroad]

A man has been found guilty of raping and murdering his wife's friend, whose body was found hidden under his bed.

He had denied the charges, claiming that he was sleeping in the woods on the night of the murder.

Jurors are still considering a verdict on his wife, Julie Beards, who is also accused of murder.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-36371091

 

[Muriel Schwenck]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36389763

Mrs Beards convicted of manslaughter

Steven Beards, who has also been convicted of rape, told the court he had "no idea" how evidence of his sperm had been found on Miss Whiting.

He claimed he was planning on being a sperm donor so had kept a sperm sample in his bathroom.

Keeping a sperm sample in the bathroom....

https://www.expressandstar.com/news...-julie-beards-to-face-retrial-on-rape-charge/
June 2016

Following a month-long trial at Leicester Crown Court, the jury found the 36-year-old, who has learning difficulties, not guilty of murder while they were acquitted from reaching a verdict on a count of rape after indicating to the judge that they were unlikely to reach a majority decision on the matter.

But now the Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that it will apply for a retrial on that accusation.
CPS spokesman Vinny Bolina said: "The jury were unable to reach a verdict on the charge of rape and as is our right we reviewed it and will go for a retrial on it."

The victim was the youngest of four adopted children.

 

[Norcal Skim]

He claimed he was planning on being a sperm donor so had kept a sperm sample in his bathroom.

Sounds legit, I can't believe the jury didn't buy it! I hear there's quite the insemination demand for low IQ, sleeping in the woods, skeevy ass looking, disabled woman dating, room temperature sperm samples.

 

[Sevens My Charm]

A killer, Steven Beard, was jailed for life with minimum of 33 years this afternoon for the rape and murder of Walsall woman Susan Whiting.

Julie Beards was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury at Leicester Crown Court. She will be sentenced at a later date.

Julie Beards - The most convenient way to express this is to impose a sentence of 8 and a half years for the rape and the same sentence for the manslaughter to run concurrently with the sentence for rape.

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/julie-beards-sentencing-remarks-20161207.pdf