Jury sees final hours of tragic mother
A JURY has been shown the final hours of a mother-of-two's life before she was “pulled to her death” in front of a passenger train in Essex.
James Hore
A JURY has been shown the final hours of a mother-of-two's life before she was “pulled to her death” in front of a passenger train in Essex.
Kelly Mack is alleged to have been killed by her partner, Darren Palmer after he dragged her “against her will” in front of the train at Hythe station in Colchester while the safety barriers were down.
Miss Mack, 29, from Clacton, died in the horrific incident on March 27 last year and Palmer was later charged with manslaughter.
A jury of eight women and four men at Chelmsford Crown Court was today shown extensive CCTV footage of Miss Mack and Palmer in the hours before the collision at about 7.45pm.
CCTV images captured Palmer and Miss Mack heading to the magistrates court where she was due to appear in the afternoon.
Most Read
- 1 London couple transform Suffolk home into an 'intimate' lifestyle retreat
- 2 Forbidden Suffolk: 5 more places you can’t visit in Suffolk
- 3 What time will the Red Arrows be flying over Suffolk this weekend?
- 4 Revealed: The most popular Suffolk fish and chip shop
- 5 The night Town beat Real Madrid - and why they're still part of elite club
- 6 Driver being taken to hospital after car ends up on roof in field
- 7 Two motorbikes stolen after break-in at Suffolk home
- 8 When will bins be emptied during the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend?
- 9 Village suffers power cut for 7 hours after vehicle hits electricity pole
- 10 'Rare' home of former socialite and artist goes up for sale for £1.5m
Courthouse manager, Deborah Byford, said Miss Mack arrived late for her appearance and smelt of alcohol.
She said Miss Mack was “very unsteady” on her feet.
“She was out of breath, a little bit dishevelled. She said that she had overslept. Her whole demeanour did not appear to be of somebody who had not had a drink.
“I could certainly smell alcohol on her breath. I was very concerned… I did not feel she was coherent enough to be going into court.”
Mrs Byford said Miss Mack's level of drunkenness was “over and above what we normally have at court”.
Miss Mack's court case on the day was adjourned for a pre-sentence report.
Court security guard Wayne Ryder told the jury that Miss Mack's “eyes were glazed, speech was slurred and she was swaying”.
He said as Miss Mack walked up the corridor at the entrance she had been “swaying from left to right”.
Court documents recorded that Miss Mack had been “late and appeared drunk”.
The CCTV images of the pair showed Miss Mack repeatedly falling over as they made their way around town following the court case.
Just after 7pm Miss Mack was captured confronting Palmer and pushing him as they stood in the entrance to a shop on St Botolph's Street.
She then fell over twice and struggled to get herself up before following the defendant as he walked away from her.
The pair later booked a taxi to take them to Hythe station where the collision occurred.
Palmer, 39, formerly of Clacton and father of Miss Mack's two children, has denied one count of manslaughter.
The trial, expected to last two weeks, continues.
james.hore@eadt.co.uk
