Man, 43, ‘beat disabled neighbour to death in row over barking dog’
A MAN beat his disabled neighbour to death in a row over his barking dog, a court heard today.
Raymond Burrell, 43, battered Matthew Sheehan, 36, and left him in a "vegetative state" after complaining about the noise from his pet barking at night.
Mr Sheehan - who walked with a stick - was annoyed at Burrell's Staffordshire bull terrier barking from across the street in Adamsdown, Cardiff.
Prosecutor Michael Jones QC told how Burrell, 43, later stormed over to his house to carry out the brutal attack.
Mr Jones said: “He deliberately, brutally, and repeatedly attacked him causing him catastrophic and life-changing injuries that ultimately led to his death.”
Burrell was found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm in 2016 and jailed for life.
But Mr Sheehan died a year after the court case - and Burrell was later charged with his murder.
Mr Sheehan was living independently in community housing with cerebellar ataxia, which affected the part of his brain controlling eye movements, speech and limb movements.
His family said he needed a crutch to walk, had to concentrate on his balance to stay on his feet and he needed glasses to see clearly.
Newport Crown Court heard a friend went to see Mr Sheehan the day before - and he seemed “frightened” following a dispute with a neighbour.
The court heard Mr Sheehan told his friend a neighbour’s dog was barking and keeping him awake - so he told the dog to “shut up” but the neighbour confronted him.
Two other neighbours who lived upstairs described hearing someone kicking a door at around 7am on September 1, 2015.
They heard a man shouting and swearing as well as "groaning" noises like someone was in pain.
The neighbours described banging, kicking, and shouting and heard Mr Sheehan’s voice screaming: “Help.”
One of the neighbours called 999 and they described the defendant walking off and then coming back to the flat.
'RELENTLESS BEATING'
They described hearing more swearing and kicking but the second time there were no groans or cries for help and everything went silent.
Mr Jones described the assault as a “relentless beating”.
He said Burrell walked away again, looking “casual”, as if nothing had happened.
Mr Sheehan was heard shouting: "Shut up" and made repeated complaints about the late night noise.
Burrell was arrested immediately after the attack after officers saw him walking down the road wearing blue jeans and a red jacket.
The court heard they asked him to stop but he kept walking and they had to run after him.
Prosecutors said he shouted the police had no right to stop him and he struggled violently with them.
He swung a punch which the officer avoided and took him to the floor.
Mr Jones added: “The defendant was violent and aggressive with the officers.”
The court heard Burrell swore at them and an officer used her CS spray.
Burrell was heard to shout: “You’ve got the wrong person. Let me go. You’re never going to get a witness for an ID parade. No witness is that brave. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
The jury at Cardiff Crown Court found Burrell guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm but cleared him of attempted murder.
A statement from Mr Sheehan's father Martin was read out in court describing the "heartbreak" of the family.
Martin Sheehan said: "The day Matthew was attacked will forever be etched in our memories.
"He remains in a serious condition in what we would call a vegetative state.
"We spend every day at his bedside hoping he will recognise us or get better. All we can do is sit and hold his hand."
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Mr Sheehan died on on November 9 last year at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
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Burrell, of HM Lowdham Grange Prison in Nottinghamshire, denies murder.
The trial continues.