Top News

A mum was found burnt and buried in woodland five weeks after screams were heard coming from her alleged killer's home. A court heard how Reanne Coulson was discovered by police officers, who could reportedly smell petrol, partially clothed in a shallow grave.

The 33-year-old was allegedly heard "screaming in fear" at Mohammed Durnion's home in Coventry on May 21 last year. A neighbour dialled 999 at 11.26pm and police officers scrambled to the address but did not find Reanne's body. However, Warwick Crown Court heard how it is believed to have been hidden under a mattress at the time.

As reported by The Irish Sun, Reanne was then found buried in woodland near Coventry five weeks later. She was reportedly last seen talking to staff at a church support group before she disappeared.

Prosecutor Timothy Cray KC said: "There was a strong smell of petrol and there were visible burn and soot injuries to the side of Reanne's face and body. The subsequent post-mortem examination found marks of injury to Reanne's head and neck.

"In the opinion of the pathologist who conducted the post-mortem, the head and neck injuries - bruising and the like - had been caused when Reanne was still alive. In contrast, the burn injuries to Reanne's face and side had been caused after her death, as if someone had tried to destroy that part of her body, or maybe her identity."

Mr Cray added that Durnion allegedly hid Reanne's body under a mattress to cover his tracks. He also reportedly faked a "mental health or drug crisis" to throw the officers off when they arrived at his home.

Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

Mr Cray added: "[Durnion] agrees that he was the last person to see Reanne alive and also agrees that he buried her body in the woods.

"His case, which will be developed and explained by his counsel, is that he picked up Reanne that Wednesday evening and gave her money to buy drugs. He picked her up believing she was a sex worker but says that there was no sexual contact between them that night."

In defence, Durnion, 42, claims that Reanne overdosed in his bedroom and became unwell. He added that he put her body in a suitcase and took her to Binley Woods, where he buried her, as he feared being caught for her death.

Mr Cray said: "The prosecution case, put simply, is that that explanation is not true. Specifically, we say Durnion can't or won't face up to the central fact that he killed Reanne."

He added: "We say that the timing and circumstances suggest that this was a deliberate attack by a powerfully-built man, on a vulnerable and defenceless woman who he had taken back to his address. One of the circumstances to look at is how long they had been together in the flat. The evidence is that the attack began within a minute of the defendant arriving at the flat around 11.22pm.

"Is that really long enough to take drugs, get high, start arguing and overdose, or is that timing consistent with some sort of sudden, fatal attack?

"When the police arrived... Reanne was nowhere to be seen or heard. This was because by then it must be that Reanne was incapable of calling for help. She was dead or dying because of Mohammed Durnion's attack."

Durnion, of Paynes Lane in Coventry, denies murder. Meanwhile, 39-year-old Adam Moore denies assisting an offender.

The trial continues.