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20
Jun
Home Office pathologist describes brutal death of Harrogate man
Warning: this article contains details some readers may find disturbing.
A Harrogate murder victim suffered a “sustained assault” with multiple blows to the head, a trial has heard.
Philip Watson, 34, has admitted murdering Paul Tillet, 56, at Mr Tillet's home on Strawberry Dale in September 2024.
However, his co-accused, Jason Johnson, 27, denies murder.
Mr Tillet was found bound and gagged on the floor of his flat under a sleeping bag by police on September 29.
Dr Louise Mulcahy, a Home Office pathologist, gave evidence on day seven of the murder trial at Leeds Crown Court this morning (June 20).
Dr Mulcahy told the court she carried out a post-mortem on Mr Tillet’s body on September 30 last year at Harrogate District Hospital.
Earlier in the trial, Jamie Hill KC, prosecuting, said Watson kicked and punched Mr Tillet in the head, stamped on him and tied him up by the wrists and ankles. He also burned him with an aerosol can which acted like a “flamethrower”.
This morning, Dr Mulcahy told the court that the victim had been subjected to a “sustained assault”.
She said:
Mr Tillet has been subjected to a sustained assault with a combination of multiple blows with fists, kicks and stamps concentrated to the face and head.
Dr Mulcahy said the victim suffered internal bruising, bleeding on the brain and 11 fractured ribs.
She told the court that it was also likely that the victim was in a “concussed state” during the attack.
The court also heard that the 56-year-old suffered lacerations to his nose and ears and his hair on his forehead had been “singed" due to an aerosol being used as a flamethrower.
There was also evidence of restraint and “10 uses of a sharp weapon” on Mr Tillet, Dr Mulcahy said.
Earlier in the trial, Mr Hill told the court that it was the prosecution’s case that Watson was the “main offender” and carried out most of the attack.
However, he said Mr Johnson encouraged Watson to murder Mr Tillet. Mr Johnson denies a murder charge.
In a statement during police interview, Mr Johnson accepted he was present at the attack in Mr Tillet’s flat. However, he said “at no point” did he come into physical contact with Mr Tillet and that he considered the victim a friend.
The trial continues.
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