A homeless man was chased and fatally beaten in a Trafford park. Joshua Carroll denies the murder. Trial ongoing.
Barry was found on September 12, 2022. He died from his injuries on October 2. He was 51 years old. Joshua Carroll is being tried for murder. Barry lived in a tent in the park. People knew and liked him.
The court saw CCTV footage of Barry with his bike. It showed him on September 12 around noon. He was carrying a bag. He met Joshua Carroll that morning. The video showed Carroll calling out to Thomas. Carroll was chasing him. Later, Carroll was seen riding Thomas’ bike. This happened about thirty minutes later.
Carroll stayed at Park House. He was on Juniper Ward. He received treatment under the Mental Health Act. He left on September 11 and returned on September 13.
The prosecutor said the attack happened between 12 and 12:30 PM. Thomas never recovered. The prosecutor called it a deliberate and sustained attack.
Around 2 PM, people found Thomas unconscious. They walked past him earlier. His belongings were on the bench. It looked like someone searched his bags. His bike was gone. One person thought he had been jumped. He was still and bleeding. They took Thomas to Salford Royal Infirmary quickly. He suffered severe brain injuries. Doctors put him on a ventilator. He died on October 2.
The pathologist found many injuries. He had a broken eye socket. He also had wounds on his face and ear. He had serious brain injuries, too. The prosecutor said the blows were very strong. Thomas would have lost consciousness right away. The injuries were like those from a fall or collision. They could have been from kicking or stamping.
By 12:30 PM, Carroll left the park. He washed his shoes in a puddle. Shortly after this, he rode Thomas’ bike. Jurors were told about these events. Carroll returned to the hospital on September 13. He said his hand hurt. It looked like he punched someone many times. His knuckles were swollen, and he couldn’t close his hand.
Police arrested him on September 20. They found Thomas’ DNA on Carroll’s shoe. Carroll claims he did not attack Thomas. Carroll has no permanent address. He denies the murder charge. The trial is still happening.