BLAINE HAMMOND MURDER TRIAL: Jury hears 999 call that led police to find body dumped in box

Blaine Hammond, 22, was found with multiple severe head injuries in a green utility box, formerly used for telecommunications equipment, down a quiet cut near some allotments at Saltburn Road, Sunderland. Newcastle Crown Court heard doctors and paramedics attended the scene but nothing could be done to save his life.

Anthony Keating, 23, of Palmerston Road, Sunderland and Louis Whelan, 23, then of Saltburn Road, Sunderland, both deny his murder and are being tried by a jury. The court heard Mr Hammond was found after an emergency call about a man who had fallen down some garden stairs.

Jurors heard the full 999 recording today, in which the caller said: "Basically he fell down the front steps last night and he proper split all his face open and everything so me and my mate wrapped him up, wrapped him in towels or quilts."

The caller added: "We put him in a green box with loads of blankets, he's breathing, on Saltburn Road. He's on Saltburn Road, in a green box."

The caller continued to give directions to the box and added: "He's in that green box, wrapped up." However, the man refused to give his name to the call handler.

He added: "It was like a green phone box type of thing, you will see it straight away. Hopefully all the blankets are still there." The man then asked if he could be given a call back with an update on how the injured man was.

He provided the same details when paramedics who were dispatched to the area rang him back, saying: "We put loads of blankets on him and that."

Jurors watched body worn camera footage taken by the first police officer at the scene, which showed someone lying on the floor inside the large box.

Prosecutors claim Mr Hammond was subjected to a "savage" assault by Whelan and Keating before he was dragged to the box. Pathologist Marc Egan said a lack of defensive injuries on Mr Hammond could suggest he was "taken unaware" and he said the evidence suggests he was dragged into the box "while the heart was beating".

Dr Egan said Mr Hammond had a number of bruises, abrasions and fractures, which he believes were caused by at least six but possibly in the region of 13 blows.

Prosecutor Peter Glenser KC asked Dr Egan: "What killed Blaine Hammond?" The doctor replied: "The mode of death in my view as swelling of the brain, cerebral edema, as a result of his head injuries."

Keating and Whelan both deny murder and the court heard they now "each blame the other". The trial continues.