THE son of murdered pensioner Georgina Edmonds relived the moment he found his mothers body lying in a pool of blood as he returned home from work.

Harry Edmonds was giving evidence at Winchester Crown Court today as the man previously acquitted of the brutal killing stands trial again, accused of murdering the 77-year-old.

As reported yesterday by the Daily Echo, Matthew Hamlen is being retried after a law preventing anyone being charged with the same murder twice was abolished by parliament.

The second day of the trial saw Mr Edmonds take the stand to tell jurors how he made the gruesome discovery and immediately knew a crime had taken place.

The coffee merchant, whose business was based in Basingstoke, described how he had returned to the family estate in Brambridge, called Kingfisher Lodge, around 5pm on Friday January 11, 2008, and found his mothers cottage, which is situated in the grounds, in darkness.

Mr Edmonds said that was unusual and he tried to raise his mother by telephone but she didn't answer.

The father of two then went around the side and back of the property, on the banks of the river, and used a torchlight on his mobile phone to see in through a window to check if she was sleeping in her bed.

Mr Edmonds told how he managed to lift a sash window that was unlocked and he stood on a garden table so he could climb through into her bedroom.

Inside he saw his mothers bed was empty and continued walking through the property until he reached the kitchen where he saw her legs on the floor.

He told the jury: "I could see her legs, that gave me a bit of a shock."

The court heard how at the same time Mr Edmonds heard voices and it was those of his estates manager Ian Wrightson and another man, called Bob Whale.

Mr Edmonds continued: "At the same time Ian Wrightson came in through the door. I said to Ian, 'turn the lights on'.

"Then of course we both saw my mothers body lying there on the floor.

"She was face down. There was blood, a pool of blood around her head. Quite substantial.

"In the middle of her head was a large pinkish dent."

Mr Edmonds told how Mr Wrightson went over to Mrs Edmonds to check for a pulse.

"He said there was no pulse at all. It was very obvious she was dead. Obviously this was a crime scene."

Daily Echo:

Mr Edmonds told how his mothers trousers were pulled down around five inches, showing her underwear. Unawares, he had trampled blood which he had stood in, across the floor, He added: "She was clearly dead. I thought "right, I have got to call the police immediately."

The jury heard how Mr Wrightson took two towels from the Agar rail and used them to cover Mrs Edmonds' head and underwear before they both decided to leave the property and wait outside for police and paramedics.

Hamlen, 36, denies murder.

Proceeding.