Murder accused’s had reputation for being drunk and aggressive

Duncan Hearsey is accused of fatally beating Alan Creasey at his home in Ingleside Crescent, Lancing on May Bank Holiday Monday.

Hearsey’s murder trial at Lewes Crown Court was told yesterday that he had a reputation in Lancing’s pubs for being drunk and aggressive.

Kirsty Sim, barmaid at the Farmers pub in South Street told the jury that Hearsey, 44, of Emerald Quay , Shoreham, had been bared on the night of the murder.

She said he had made a “terrifying” threat to her son two or three months earlier.

She said“ I had known Duncan for many years. A previous time he came in the pub very drunk. I said I couldn’t serve him and he said he was going to go to my house and burn my child in his bed. I have a son who is eight who was at home with a babysitter I was terrified.

“I’m used to dealing with drunk men. You can threaten me, I have been through a lot in my 28 years, but to threaten my son is something else.

“He knew where I lived. I wasn’t intimidated by him, but this was my child.

“I thought it was an empty threat, but as soon as he left I phoned the babysitter and told her to lock the doors and take my son to a neighbour’s.”

She added that on the evening Mr Creasey was killed, Hearsey had again come in the Farmers having already been barred from the neighbouring Railway pub.

When he refused to leave after being told she would not serve him she had to call the police, she said.

She said a customer, Jason Smith, told her Duncan had been aggressive towards the bar maid at the Railway, a woman called Jo.

“He was aggressive, threatening to Jo saying he was going to cut her face,” Miss Sim said.

“When he came in he was swaying. We have two steps and he stumbled on the last step.

“He was very drunk.

“I said I wasn’t allowed to serve him because he had been barred.

“He seemed alright, had a smile on his face and asked if he could go to the toilet before he left.

“When he came back he asked if he was barred. I said I was not allowed to serve him. Then he turned to [customer] Jason Smith and said ‘I want to cut you up’. I know Duncan and he thrives off people’s reactions, but Jason didn’t react to him. Jason was calm.”

Miss Sim said Hearsey then made an offensive comment to another customer, Jessica Bull.

“Jess is like a little sister to all of us,” Miss Sim said. “Everyone looks after Jess and it upset Jason.

“I said I was going to phone the police and Duncan took out his gloves. He put the left one on and was waving the right one in Jason’s face.

“When I said I was going to ring the police he said he didn’t care. When I said I had he said ‘You are going to regret this. I swear on my mother’s grave’. I thought he was serious.”

The court previously heard Hearsey then left the pub to try to retrieve a £40 debt for some gardening work from Alan Creasey, who lived nearby.

The prosecution claim Creasey was brutally beaten and died from his injuries.

Hearsey denies murder. The trial continues.

BIG DRINKER’S REPUTATION WENT BEFORE HIM, JURY TOLD

THE murder trial at Lewes Crown Court heard Duncan Hearsey’s reputation preceded him in the pubs around Lancing.

Jessica Bull, a customer in the Farmers pub told the jury she had only met Hearsey a few times – but he was usually drunk.

On the night he is accused of killing Alan Creasey, she said Hearsey had called her an offensive word.

The 21-year-old said she was too embarrassed to tell the judge about the sexually aggressive way in which he had spoke to her the first time they met.

Alan Kent, defending Hearsey, said: “He seems to have had a reputation.

“People were scared of him.

“People were scared of what he might do because he was unpredictable.”

Miss Bull told the court: “I have met Duncan maybe five times and usually in the Railway pub.

“The first time I met him he said something sexual to me.

“I served him at the petrol station where I worked the next day and I don’t think he remembered.

“The next day it was like nothing had happened.”

When Hearsey arrived at the Farmers he had already been barred from the Railway for being drunk and threatening barmaid Joanne White, the court was told.

Miss White told the court Hearsey seemed to be trying to pick a fight and threatened to cut another customer’s face.

Hearsey then made his way down South Street, stopping at the Andreas kebab shop.

There was a scuffle and a window was broken and staff called 999.

The jury was played the recording in which Hearsey could be heard clearly drunk in the background.

He can be heard to say: “I want to fight you.

“I’m going to scrap you up.”

Hearsey had already drunk two cans of beer before he left his home at 11.30am that morning, the court was told.

He went on to drink steadily, having downed about 12 pints before arriving at Alan Creasey’s back door, the jury heard.

After a scuffle, Mr Creasey is said to have warned him off with a paint scraper and called 999.

Hearsey told a psychiatrist he had watched the officers leave before returning to the house, the court heard.

CCTV footage showed Hearsey leaving Ingleside Crescent before later returning.

On his return Hearsey is alleged to have beaten Mr Creasey with at least four heavy blows to his head, and others breaking his collar bone and causing bruising to his back.

Opening the case on Monday, prosecutor Nick Corsellis said that there had been four 999 calls about Hearsey’s violent and aggressive behaviour that evening -culminating in police officers visiting the victim’s home but missing Hearsey by just minutes.

He said: “Hearsey had been drinking to massive excess that day.

“Hearsey attacked him with such massive force he can only have intended to kill him or cause him very serious harm.

“Mr Hearsey accepts he was the person who ended his life.

“This case is going to centre precisely around what he did that day and what he intended.”

“This was plainly a severe and sustained attack.

“He was on the floor bleeding and bloodied.

“It suggested Mr Creasey was battered, fallen and defenceless.

“It demonstrates an intention to kill or cause really serious harm.”

Four 999 calls were made to police about Hearsey in the three hours leading up to Mr Creasey’s death, but each time officers arrived just too late.

In Mr Creasey’s own 999 call he can be heard telling Hearsey to “go away”.

When officers attended the bungalow in Ingleside Crescent Mr Creasey appeared unhurt apart form a bruised arm.

But as the officers went in search of the attacker they did not spot the man with a bike lurking nearby.

Mr Corsellis said that Mr Creasey’s injuries included a “degloved” right ear indicating he had been kicked or stamped on as he lay on the ground.

He had at least four separate head injuries and a broken collar bone, the jury heard.