A WEALTHY East Lancashire businessman who was struck in the head with an axe at least 10 times by his lover may have tried to break free from handcuffs during the attack, a court heard.

Forensic pathologist Professor Guy Rutty told Leeds Crown Court how Danny O'Brien, 40, had suffered abrasion and bruising to his wrists that could have resulted from breaking the handcuffs.

Mr O'Brien lived in Holme Terrace, Townsendfold, Rawtenstall, until three years ago and was a regular customer at the nearby Whitchaff Inn, Bury Road.

Prof Rutty was giving evidence on the third day of the trial of Janet Charlton, 36, who denies murdering him at his luxury home in Midgeley, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on May 23 last year.

In his report, Prof Rutty, a forensic pathologist at the University of Leicester, said: "It may be that the deceased tried to free himself from the handcuffs ... causing injuries to the wrist.

"One possibility in the course of the attack is these had been pulled apart by Danny O'Brien trying to get his hands free."

Prof Rutty, who was called to the scene hours after the attack, said a post-mortem examination showed Mr O'Brien had been struck with an axe at least 10 times in the head and had suffered 10 further blows to the back of his neck and right shoulder.

A further 13 injuries were found on his body, including red marks on his back which were consistent with injuries that could have been caused by a whip found in the blood-spattered bedroom.

The court heard earlier how Mr O'Brien was found naked, gagged and handcuffed on his bedroom floor with the axe embedded in his skull.

Dressed in a black trouser suit and lilac shirt, Charlton, who is divorced with a four-year-old daughter, wept silently in the dock as Prof Rutty described Mr O'Brien's injuries to the court.

Two sides of Mr O'Brien were sketched for the jury yesterday.

He was so pernickety he insisted his shirts were hung in order of shade dark to light, in every colour and ordered the retrieval from the dustbin of a toothpaste tube which he thought had pennies worth of use left in it, the court heard.

He also took sex toys with him for a weekend in Tunbridge Wells, shaved his genitals and told his cleaner she was not to answer his telephone under any circumstances.

(Proceeding)