THE man accused of murdering a Hampshire student was described as a “remorseless, controlling, possessive and vicious” character.
Timothy Mousley QC, summing up the prosecution case to a jury at Winchester Crown Court, said Brockenhurst College student Emily Longley probably “stood no chance”
against Elliot Turner, especially if she was being restrained and face down in a pillow.
Mr Mousley added: “We submit he’s remorseless, he’s controlling, he’s possessive and he’s vicious and he murdered her.”
He told the court that Turner manipulated his parents and made his mother change her story. He added: “It is clear Elliot pulled the strings.”
He said Leigh and Anita Turner carried out a series of acts as “misguided loyalty” to protect their son by removing a jacket from Elliot’s room and destroying a note Elliot had written.
Summing up the defence case for Elliot, Anthony Donne QC said there was plenty of evidence that Emily was well capable of striking back.
He described Elliot as a “loudmouth” and “hot air merchant”, who was “all talk, no action”.
Mr Donne reminded the jury that pathologist Dr Huw White said Emily could have died from natural causes and he could not rule out sudden adult death syndrome.
He questioned the lack of injuries on Emily’s body and added: “Any suggestion that this strong young man could have grabbed a 17-year-old as hard as he could around her neck and pushed backwards without leaving any mark internally or externally is totally, completely unreal.”
The prosecution alleges Elliot Turner, 20, strangled 17- year-old Emily in the bedroom in his family home in Queenswood Avenue, Bournemouth, on May 7 last year.
Elliot Turner denies murder and his parents, Leigh Turner, 54, and Anita Turner, 51, deny perverting the course of justice.
Proceeding.
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