Pensioner suffocated neighbour and recorded his dying words, court told

A pensioner allegedly suffocated his neighbour and recorded his dying words after a row over a noise complaint, a court has heard.

James Hughes, 67, was wearing a Dictaphone when he allegedly beat and then sat on top of Harold Turner, 68, in what was described by the prosecution as a "cold and calculated" killing on Christmas day.

The crown court in Caernarfon heard on Monday that Hughes would bang on his wall with his walking stick and prevent Turner from sleeping at the sheltered accommodation where they each had a flat.

Hughes, from St Asaph, Denbighshire, denies murder and manslaughter.

The court was told the confrontation on 25 December, 2025, was sparked by Turner, who had served in the Navy, making complaints about noise from Hughes' flat.

That day Turner was about to move to alternative accommodation found by his friends so he could get some sleep.

But before leaving he drank alcohol and left a voicemail for Hughes to say he was "going to get" him.

There was a confrontation outside Hughes' flat on the first floor of the Old Palace sheltered accommodation, in which Hughes ended up on top of his neighbour.

A Dictaphone recording device worn by Hughes, which captured audio of the incident, was played to the jury.

In the three-minute recording, Turner - who had heart disease - could be heard panting and asking Hughes to get off him as he could not breathe.

Prosecutor John Hipkin told the court that Hughes told police he did not know if Turner was "faking it" when he passed out.

The audio recording included what Hipkin said was the sound of Hughes striking an unconscious Turner numerous times with his walking stick.

Hughes called for an ambulance 23 minutes after the incident, but attempts to resuscitate Turner were unsuccessful.

A post mortem examination found he died as a result of asphyxia - when the body is deprived of oxygen - and suffered blunt force trauma to his face and head.

The court heard that, in a phone call to his nephew in the hours after the incident, Hughes said: "I think I may have killed someone."

He told police that Turner had threatened him and had "come out swinging punches".

Gordon Cole, representing Hughes, said that self defence was central to his client's case, as well as whether it was Hughes' intention to kill his neighbour or instead inflict serious harm on him.

Following his death Turner's family said he would be "sadly missed", adding he had served in the Navy after leaving school before working in London, Ireland and his hometown of Rhyl.

The trial, which is expected to last up to three weeks, continues.