Wellesbourne woman admits phone theft in murder case

A Wellesbourne woman has pleaded guilty to stealing a mobile phone from a man who was alledgedly punched and kicked to death in a busy Stratford street.

Florence Caines, 26 of Kineton Road, Wellesbourne pleaded guilty to the theft at Birmingham Crown Court. But she must wait until at least December to be sentenced.

Caines was due to appear alongside three men and a woman who are all accused of killing Tristram Wallace in Stratford earlier this year.

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The 36-year-old died after an incident near the junction of his home in Arden Street and the Birmingham Road on June 22.

The court has previously heard he was subject to “a sustained assault by way of kicking, punching and stamping” during the afternoon.

Toney Jelf, 39 of Childs Close, Stratford; Peter Mallon, 41 of Rumer Close, Long Marston; Neil Potter, 36 of Oakdene Court, Stratford; and Donna Windsor, 37 of Betjeman Close, Stratford, were all charged with his murder.

All four have had their cases adjourned, but Caines appeared before a judge last week where she admitted stealing the phone during the incident.

She is not due to stand trial for murder.

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Acting on Caines’ behalf, solicitor Jane Brady asked for her to be sentenced straight away for the theft, pointing out that she had already been on remand for 90 days.

But the appeal was rejected by Judge Melbourne Inman QC who said although he said it could be reviewed at the next hearing, all the defendants were to be remanded in custody until December.

Due to the number of witnesses who were on the street at the time of the death, the murder trial is expected to last at least six weeks.

Judge Melbourne Inman QC said it should be fixed for April 5 at Birmingham.

After ordering that a prosecution pathologist’s report be served on the defence by late October, the case was adjourned until December 11 for reports to be completed.