A PENSIONER accused of murdering his dementia-suffering wife by beating her to death with a rolling pin and a walking stick was unable to face up to what he had done, the jury heard today.

He pleads not guilty to murder but has admitted that his unlawful violence caused her death.

Prosecutor David Brooke QC told Edward ‘Hendy’ Small: “You lashed out with weapons on your vulnerable and defenceless wife for period of what must have been hours.”

Small, 76, has repeatedly told Bradford Crown Court that he cannot recollect what happened before 73-year-old Sheila Small was found dead on the bedroom floor at the couple’s home in Raymond Drive, West Bowling, Bradford, on December 18.

The jury has heard that Small had drunk beer and whisky the night before his wife died. A back calculation until 5am on the morning of her death put him at more than three times the drink-drive limit.

Mr Brooke, cross-examining Small, suggested that he had “lied from the outset” after repeatedly striking his wife with a rolling pin and a walking stick.

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Detailing her injuries in court today, while Small was in the witness box, Mr Brooke said Mrs Small had wounds to the top of her head that had split the skin down to the skull. She had up to 26 separate injuries to her face, extensive bruising to her body and all four limbs, a shattered shoulder blade, a broken collar bone and fractured ribs.

Her right arm was “absolutely covered in bruises” and the index finger was broken.

“Was she holding her hand up to protect herself as you smashed that stick down on her?” Mr Brooke asked.

The court heard that “tramline” injuries on Mrs Small’s legs were consistent with her being struck by the rolling pin or the walking stick.

When asked if he saw the blood stains and spatters in the kitchen after Mrs Small sustained head injuries, Small replied: “I can’t remember. I just can’t.”

He told the jury his wife was never on the floor in the kitchen and he did not kick her.

“I might have hit her twice with the rolling pin,” he said.

Mr Brooke suggested that Small was "too drunk to know what was going on.”

Small said that banging the neighbours heard coming from the house that night was him pounding root ginger for his medicinal drink.

The jury has heard that the rolling pin and walking stick had blood on them.

Small has told the court he “got angry and lost it” during an argument and did not intend to cause his wife of more than 50 years really serious harm.

Mr Brooke told him: “It wasn’t a split second of madness was it Mr Small?”

That scenario was “impossible” the prosecutor continued, because Mrs Small had 65 external injuries, bruising all over her body and numerous fractures.

“The truth is that you can’t face up to what you have done,” Mr Brooke said.

Re-examined by defence barrister, Tahir Khan QC, Small said that he was caring for his wife “24/7.” He did not tell adult social care how much he was struggling because he feared Sheila would be put in a home.

Of the attack on his wife, Small again stated: “It was just a short flare-up. Everything just happened.”

The trial continues.