ACCUSED OF MURDERING TWO WOMEN

Chronicle (Levin), 26 September 1946, Page 5

ACCUSED OF MURDERING TWO WOMEN

Press Assn

By Telegraph

.-Copyright

LONDON, Hept. 24. Two women were in the jury of 12 when the trial liegun ut the Old Builey of Neville George Clevely Ileath, who was committed l'or trial. He is charged with the murder of two women, one in London and/ the otlier at Bournemouth. Heatli, who was smartly dressed, stood cqlmly wlrile tlie jury were sworn in. He pleaded not guilty ixi a fii'm coiee to the charge of murdering Alrs. Margerv Gardner, ut ls'ottingliill Hotel, 011 June 20. The public gallerv' was crowded with spectators who had queued up before dawn. In opening the proseeution, Mr. Anthonv Hawke said that Alrs. Gardner lied from suffoeation. Before she dien Jie had been the victim of appalimg injuries. A f'ormidable case had already been built up against Health. It was a question whether subsequent events did not make the case even uore f'ormidable. Mr Hawke, eontinuing, said that the defence might be put forward that Heatli was suffering from a diseased nind and was not responsible for his aetion. It was the law that a person vas sane and responsible for his aetions unless it was proved that he was not responsible. The jury might think, if ihe facts were proved, that the person responsible for the murder was so exually perverted to be almost a monstrOsity. Air Hawke said that Heath booked n room at Pembridge Court Hotel on Fune 16. Mrs. Gardner 's body was found 011 the afternoon of June 21. The two of them were last seen on the aight of June 20 wallcing together with Heath 's arm around her waist into the gafeway which led into the liotel. The sutfocation was caused eitlier by having lier head pinned down against a pillow, or gagging, or possibly both. Heath wrote a long letter to Superintendent Barratt, of Scotland Yard, and referred in it to fmding Mrs. Gardner in tlie hotel "in the eondition of which you are aware." He said that, realising that he was "in an invidious posifion, " he left the hotel. Dr. C. I\. Simpson, patliologist, who gave evidence on the post-mortem, des'•ribed the tei-rible injuries which were inflieted on-Afrs. Gardner. Cross-examined, he said that all tlie mjuries were apparently caused before death. Yvonne Symonds, a young girl, gave evidence that after a proposal of- marriage by Heath she spent the night of June 16 with him at Pembridge Court Hotel. She again met Heath 011 June 22 at Worthing. Throughout the day Heath wrote on a pad 011 his crossed knees and when the Court adjourned he qeut the pad into a pink folder and stood at attention while the Judge was leaving. Heath was a f'ormer R.A.P. pilot who was arrested on charges of murdering Mrs Margery Gregorv on .Tune 20 and Miss Doreen Marshall at Bournemouth 011 July 4, a sliocki ng story of brutal treatment being told by tlie prosecu'or (Mr. A. Morgan) in ontlining the Crown's case in the West London Police Court" on August 6.