Man ‘fled on Boris bike after killing widow and setting fire to her home’

The alleged killer of a retired nurse cycled away from the crime scene on a “Boris bike” after beating her to death and setting fire to her home, the Old Bailey heard.

William Kydd, 54, of Feltham, is accused of murdering 73-year-old widow Carole Harrison at her house in Teddington a few weeks after they had first met.

Prosecutor Tom Little told the court that Mrs Harrison was struck repeatedly and might have been restrained in the “brutal murder”. Her body was discovered badly burned when firefighters arrived to tackle a blaze at her home in the early hours of August 22 last year.

Mr Little said Kydd was seen on CCTV with Mrs Harrison in the hours before the alleged murder at a nearby Tesco and in a park on the way back to her house.

The prosecutor told jurors that Kydd was later spotted cycling away from Mrs Harrison’s property on a “Boris bike” past midnight, shortly after the murder is said to have been committed.

“The 999 call is made at 12.50am, so he is cycling away from the fire at exactly the time it has taken hold of the house, so the neighbours are aware of it,” he said.

“The prosecution case is that having assaulted Carole Harrison and leaving her injured or even unconscious, the defendant then set fire to the property.”

Mrs Harrison, who had worked as a nurse, lived alone and suffered from bipolar disorder and arthritis. She is believed to have met Kydd “in the weeks leading up to the murder”.

Mr Little said: “It appears that a relationship had started between the pair.

Prosecutor Tom Little

“As a result of this friendship or relationship he had access to her property and was trusted by her.

“We say he did not look after her, but attacked her and having done so, he set fire to her house with her inside of it, leaving her for dead.”

It is also said that Kydd had a home in Feltham but had told Mrs Harrison that he was homeless.

Kydd denies murder. The trial continues.