Landlord tells of terrible sadness after horrific moment he found bloody body of Angela Wrightson

John Meggison went to Ms Wrightson’s address in Stephenson Street, Hartlepool, at about 8.45am on Tuesday, December 9, where he found his tenant motionless on a couch, with blood splattered on a wall behind where she lay.

Mr Meggison, told the hearing at Leeds Crown Court he immediately called 999 for assistance.

He told jurors his first thought was that Ms Wrightson had taken her own life.

He said the house was in darkness when he arrived but, when he turned on a light, he found the property had been trashed.

He said saw Ms Wrightson’s prone body and a broken vase, with jagged edges covered in blood.

Nicholas Campbell, prosecuting, said to Mr Meggison: “You found her naked apart from a small red T-shirt, her head was tilted to the left and you could see blood on her face.”

Mr Meggison replied: “That is right.” He said he rang for an ambulance and was asked by a call-handler to check for signs of life.

The landlord touched both Ms Wrightson’s arms - with both described as ‘cold – and could find no sign of a pulse.

He said paramedics arrived on the scene and confirmed what he now already knew – Angela Wrightson was dead. Asked how he felt upon making the grim find, he said: “I was terribly sad. My first thought was that she had killed herself.”

Mr Meggison told the court Angela Wrightson had been his tenant for between four and six years and the pair had enjoyed a respectful relationship.

He said the last time he had seen Ms Wrightson alive was at about 4pm on Monday, December 8.

He said she was under the influence of alcohol.

He said she had become angry with him after he had refused to buy her a bottle of wine and hurled her keys at him as he left in a taxi.

He said it was when he returned to the house the following morning to return her keys that he made the shocking discovery.