Weymouth manslaughter: Woman 'gave CPR' to alleged victim

Aaron Kirk Brown, 38, and from Weymouth, and 28-year-old Hannah Jayne Rebecca Day have both pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter and attempted robbery of John Cornish, who died in his home on The Esplanade aged 75 on September 6 2019.

The prosecution’s case, being presented at Winchester Crown Court, involves the claim that Brown and Day assaulted Mr Cornish in his home, causing him to have a heart attack and die on the evening of September 6.It is further alleged the pair left the premises following the death, before eventually returning later that same evening and spending the night together in Mr Cornish’s home alongside his body.The following morning, Day ran out of the house and called for help at about 10am. A couple staying at a guest house next door came to help and called an ambulance.When the paramedics arrived the neighbour, Paul Bartlett, was giving CPR to Mr Cornish’s body but the paramedics told him to stop as it was clear he had been deceased for some time.The jury watched police body cam footage of PC Joshua Hooley, who was the first officer on the scene after the ambulance service called the police, interviewing Day inside Mr Cornish’s home. Day described Mr Cornish as ‘a good friend who would leave the door on the latch for me’. She claimed that she had stayed at a friends house the night of September 6 and that she was due to stay at Mr Cornish’s home for the next four nights.

She said she had turned up that morning - she told police that Mr Cornish had given her a key - and saw the body.

She said: “I ripped open his shirt and tried to give him chest compressions but nothing happened so I ran outside and called for help.”

Day has also entered not guilty pleas to a charge of theft and five counts of fraud by false representation.

It is alleged that Day stole one of Mr Cornish’s bank cards back in May 2019, before using it on five occasions across two days.

The trial continues.