'Gay barman murdered landlord lover' - court told (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Accused fled with takings from Greengates pub, trial hears

7:30am Tuesday 23rd November 2010 in Greengates By Jenny Loweth, T&A Reporter

A pub licensee was murdered by his gay lover, who hours before had announced “Someone’s going to die tonight,” a jury heard.

Callum Adams smothered Kevan Worrall to death upstairs at the Seven Stars in Greengates, Bradford, then fled to London with the takings, Bradford Crown Court was told.

Adams, 39, who was living at the pub on Harrogate Road with Mr Worrall, denies murdering him on September 13 last year.

Prosecutor Paul Reid QC told the court yesterday that Adams maintained he killed his homosexual partner in reasonable self-defence, or that he was provoked into doing what he did, or a combination of both.

Mr Reid said Adams had pleaded guilty to stealing the £1,000 pub takings and Mr Worrall’s mobile phone and laptop computer.

He told the jury Adams forged a note stuck up in the pub window before Mr Worrall’s body was discovered. It read: “Closed due to ill health. At hospital. Back later.”

Mr Reid told the jury Adams hailed from Plymouth and was married with a daughter. He had had a number of homosexual relationships and lived with Mr Worrall for two years. The pair had other sexual partners and engaged in gay sex threesomes.

Mr Worrall, 46, was one of ten children and had worked as a miner in South Yorkshire. He took over the Seven Stars in June last year. Adams was employed there as a bar worker.

Mr Worrall was a diabetic and had recently had a right toe amputated, the court was told. Mr Reid said his foot was heavily bandaged but he was mobile.

The jury heard that by Saturday, September 12, the relationship had gone “badly wrong”. Staff and customers at the pub reported that the men were not on speaking terms.

Adams was allegedly drinking more than usual and told a customer: “Someone’s going to die tonight.”

At 3am the next day, Adams and Mr Worrall were alone at the pub, the court heard.

Police broke into the Seven Stars at 8pm that Sunday and discovered Mr Worrall’s body. He was naked except for a shirt.

Mr Reid said he was asphyxiated when pressure from a hand or knee was applied to the back of his neck and his face was forced into a soft surface.

Adams took a taxi to Bradford Interchange and another to Leeds Railway Station. He travelled by train to London and then on to Yeovil where he was arrested two days later.

Mr Reid said Adams “feigned floods of tears” after he was told his partner was dead. He told a friend on Facebook: “I’m so gutted… I can’t stop crying.”

The trial continues.