Doctor ‘tortured’ and left to die in vicious ‘homophobic’ attack in Cardiff
Two men and a teenage girl have admitted manslaughter after Dr. Gary Jenkins died 16 days after the brutal assault.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Pexels
Three people have admitted manslaughter after a man died following a ‘homophobic’ attack in Cardiff last summer.
Dr. Gary Jenkins, a psychiatrist, died 16 days after the violent attack, which took place in the city’s Bute Park on 20 July.
Lee Strickland, 36, Jason Edwards, 25, and a girl, who was 16 at the time, have also admitted to robbery but are denying murder.
“Sadistic”
Prosecutor Dafydd Enoch QC told Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday 25 January) said the defendants were motivated by “greed, homophobia and a straightforward liking of violence”.
Dr. Jenkins, he added, was “viciously beaten, robbed, tortured and left for dead by the three defendants in the dock,” as reported by the BBC.
Mr. Enoch said a witness, Lewis Williams, tried to stop the attack and had described the youngest defendant as “sadistic”, and that the three of them laughed as Dr. Jenkins pleaded for them to stop.
The court heard how Dr. Jenkins, who identified as bisexual and had been previously married with children, would visit the park “looking for sexual contact with like-minded men”.
This, Mr. Enoch said, made Dr. Jenkins an “easy target” for the trio who had apparently gone to the Summerhouse cafe area of the park, where men would meet for sex.
CCTV footage also apparently showed the trio hugging each other as they left the park following the attack.
The jury was told that Dr. Jenkins’ injuries included fractures to his skull, bleeding on the brain, and severe bruising. A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of death was blunt head injury and bleeding on the brain.
The jury also heard audio of the attack captured by nearby CCTV cameras, which included the teenager saying “I needed that.” Jason Edwards is heard saying “Stamp on his head, stamp on his head.” according to prosecutors.
Mr. Strickland, of no fixed address, is said to have left the park and used Dr. Jenkins’ debit card to buy alcohol.
The trial continues.