A BRUTAL murder trial unfolded today at Swansea Crown Court, where jurors heard details of the horrific death of retired horsewoman Wendy Buckney, 71, whose body was discovered mutilated and face-down in her living room in Clydach, Swansea Valley, in August last year. Brian Whitelock, 57, who lived across the street, denies her murder.
Whitelock, who has a record of previous violent offences, initially pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. However, this plea was not accepted by the prosecution, and the trial for murder commenced today. Representing himself after dismissing his legal team, Whitelock faces accusations of an attack that prosecutor Christopher Rees KC described as “sustained and vicious,” leaving the victim with injuries too extensive to count accurately.
Miss Buckney, a well-regarded member of the community who founded the Pen-Y-Fedw Riding Centre, suffered multiple stab and blunt-force injuries. The prosecutor told the court, “Miss Buckney must have suffered greatly at the hands of the defendant.” Forensic examination could not determine whether a sexual assault had occurred before, during, or after the assault.
Defendant’s troubling history of violence
Rees outlined Whitelock’s violent past, including a 2001 conviction for the murder of Nicholas Morgan and the manslaughter of his own brother, Glen Whitelock. Rees recounted how Whitelock struck Morgan repeatedly with a pickaxe handle before setting the property on fire, resulting in his brother’s death by smoke inhalation. This pattern of “explosive and extreme violence” is, the prosecution argued, key to understanding the events leading to Buckney’s murder.
Alleged “torture” and admission of guilt
In the hours following Miss Buckney’s death, Whitelock made numerous disturbing comments to neighbours and police, saying: “I don’t know why I have done it. She was begging me to stop.” When questioned by police, he reportedly added, “I tried to clean her up… She was stone cold. I don’t deserve to be alive.” Paramedics arriving at the scene found Buckney’s body with severe penetrating wounds and injuries indicative of a sustained attack.
The prosecution presented evidence of blood-stained items allegedly used in the assault, including a knife, chair leg, and shelving. Fragments of flesh were discovered on the walls and ceiling of Buckney’s flat, where Whitelock’s DNA was also found.
Defendant’s claim of diminished responsibility
Whitelock claimed his mental state was impaired by brain injuries sustained in an accident just weeks before the murder. He alleges these injuries, combined with sleep deprivation, left him unable to control his actions. Whitelock, who reportedly consumed drugs and alcohol in the lead-up to the incident, admitted in interviews to having “shadowy figures” in his mind and insists he did not intend to kill Buckney.
Judge’s instructions to jury
Mr Justice Griffiths instructed the jurors to consider carefully whether Whitelock’s actions were influenced by a recognised mental health condition that may support his diminished responsibility defence. For this defence to apply, the prosecution must prove Whitelock’s intent to kill or cause serious harm.
The trial continues tomorrow at 10:30am.
