Man admits killing Norwich mum Kerri McAuley, but denies murder
Video report by ITV News Anglia's Malcolm Robertson
A man from Norwich has admitted killing his girlfriend, but denies murdering her.
26-year-old Joe Storey has gone on trial at Norwich Crown Court.
The jury was told of his on-off relationship with Kerri McAuley, a 32-year-old mother-of-two who was found dead in her Norwich flat in January.
Prosecuting counsel Simon Spence QC told the jury the defendant had a history of mentally and physically abusing Kerri, but she continued to see him.
On January 7 2017, they had gone out for meal in the city's Riverside area.
Mr Spence said that when they got back to Kerri's flat, Joe Storey subjected her to "a sustained and vicious attack, almost exclusively to the face and head." She died of her injuries.
The jury was told that when he was later arrested he was surrounded by drugs. He refused to answer any questions.
Addressing the jury, Mr Spence said: "You have to decide what his state of mind was and whether he intended to cause her serious harm. The prosecution say you only have to look at the state of her injuries to see what was intended and so he must be guilty of murder."
Mr Spence said Kerri had suffered a fractured nose and cheekbones. In total, there were 19 injuries to her face.
The jury heard on a previous occasion she had posted pictures on social media of facial injuries she said had been caused by Joe Storey, and revealed: "He broke my cheekbone and my heart. I deserve so much more."
Mr Spence added that Kerri had tried to stay away from him, but through his emotional blackmail had continued the relationship with fatal consequences.Joe Storey denies murdering her. The trial's expected to last for a fortnight.