A second medical expert has told a court that skull injuries found on the exhumed remains of a Shropshire man could have been caused by a blow to the head.

Forensic anthropologist Dr Julie Roberts gave evidence yesterday at Birmingham Crown Court about the death of Trevor Bradley, whose body found in a burned out car in Melverley, near Oswestry, in 1994.

Robin Ligus, 59, formerly of Shrewsbury, is standing trial for killing Mr Bradley, Brian Coles and Bernard Czyzewska, who all died in 1994.

He is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of pensioner Robert Young but has been ruled unfit to plead to the latest charges.

The court heard Dr Roberts was contacted by police in 2007 to examine photos of Mr Bradley’s severely burned remains.

It heard Dr Roberts identified a previously unseen fracture to Mr Bradley’s collar bone, which it is now believed was inflicted before the fire started. A fracture and crack on Mr Bradley’s skull also indicated that he suffered a blow to the head, according to Dr Roberts.

Her views echoed those of Northern Ireland state pathologist Dr Jack Crane who also gave evidence in yesterday’s trial.

Trauma

Dr Crane said the injuries were likely caused by “blunt force trauma”. The doctors’ findings are consistent with information Ligus gave to police in 2000 when he confessed to Mr Bradley’s murder. In the taped interview, Ligus said he hit Mr Bradley over the head with an iron bar before putting him in a car and setting it alight.

Dr Roberts said: “The key area I thought was suspicious was the damage on the right parietal bone.

“This caused me concern because it did not look like a typical heat fracture.

“The area surrounding the triangular defect, or hole in the head, was displaced inward. If it was caused by heat I would have expected it to be curving outwards.”

Although the 2008 examination did not provide a conclusive answer to how the skull fracture happened, Dr Roberts said she was “confident” it was not caused by fire. The trial continues.