Murder victim Julie 'often beaten', court told

MURDER victim Julie Gallagher often had black eyes, split lips, bumps on her head and finger marks on her neck from alleged assaults by her husband, her sister told a jury.

Deborah Bradshaw said Julie (41), would make excuses saying she had walked into a door or fallen over and would not speak about it.

It was only after Julie left George Gallagher following an alleged assault in November 2009 for which she was treated in hospital, that she finally revealed his violence towards her, she said.

Mrs Bradshaw went on: “She said he had dragged her by the hair and she had banged her head and she showed me the injuries on her back and I could see there was blood.

“I said are you going to leave him because next time you might not be so lucky.

“She said she was definitely leaving this time, he’d gone too far.”

Gallagher was charged with assault but Julie withdrew her statement because she was scared of Gallagher, known as Juddy, her sister said.

Gallagher (56), of Eldon Road, Eastwood, denies stabbing Julie to death at her home in Foljambe Road in March last year.

The trial continues.