Killer’s bogus texts cover-up

Reporter: Robbie Gill
Date published: 11 February 2015


A SHAW man beat his partner to death - then hid her murder for a month by sending messages from her phone, a court heard.

Steven Dunks (45) of Milnrow Road is accused of kicking and stamping Lynn Howarth (43) to death in her Boleyn Court flat on July 27 after discovering she had started a relationship with another man.

Dunks is alleged to have stolen her bank card and mobile phone, cleared her account and sent texts pretending to be Lynn.

Her body was found decomposing on the kitchen floor last August after neighbours informed police of a bad smell from the flat.

Robert Hall, prosecuting, told a Manchester Crown Court jury: “The attack was so forceful it resulted in very severe fractures to the bones in her face. There may well have been repeated heavy stamps or kicks. Death quickly followed.”

The pair had been out drinking in the hours leading up to the attack, then returned separately to the flat.

Dunks and the deceased had known each other since they were children, growing up near each other in Heywood.They had been in an on-off relationship since 2013. Dunks was also seeing another woman, Karen Chesters.

Lynn, who suffered anxiety and agoraphobia, had grown frustrated with the situation and wanted to sever ties with him.

Mr Hall said: “Mr Dunks was on rotation between two girlfriends. When Mr Dunks got fed up with one he would stay with the other.”

Lynn met paramedic Anthony Berry through Facebook, which angered Dunks. He threatening them at her flat. Neighbours claimed he shouted: “I’d rather see her dead than with anyone else.”

Lynn’s mum Pauline said she was suspicious of phone messages from her daughter on August 20 - her first contact in a month. She said there were grammatical errors Lynn wouldn’t have made.

Dunks denies murder. The trial continues.