A WOMAN allegedly murdered by her husband was frightened of him shortly before her death in June, 1997, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Mother of two Pauline Stevenson was friendly with Rodney and Lisa McHugh and met their lodger, Joanne Higham, at a house in Swift Road, Sholver, Oldham.

Crown witness Miss Higham, said she knew Mrs Stevenson, 31, was living with a Paddy Ward in Austen Walk, Sholver. After Ward was arrested for burglary and kept in custody, Pauline, a regular visitor to Swift Road, introduced them to Martin Dott as her brother.

"On some visits, Pauline occasionally borrowed methadone - she never did this before Martin Dott was on the scene," she told the jury. "I found out she was frightened of him. She did not remove herself from the situation because she was frightened of repercussions.

"When they were together she appeared depressed. Martin Dott spoke down to her and there was little arguments in my presence." Dott, 35, of no settled address but formerly of Pennine Way, Bacup,. has pleaded not guilty to murder. The crown say Mrs Stevenson - she kept that name after marriage - died on the weekend of June 28/29, 1997. She, her husband and Ward were drug users.

The body was found in the bath the following January after youths burgled the house in Austen Walk. There were bloodstains in both bedrooms. Her dead or dying body had been dragged to the bathroom. An expert decided she died from ligature strangulation, suffocation or drowning.

The husband resumed living with his wife after Ward was remanded in custody early in June 1997. Miss Higham said she last saw Pauline on Friday, June 27. On the Sunday, Martin Dott called and asked her to collect his wife's benefits the next day.

He said Pauline would be in Scotland seeing relatives and unable to cash them. She said she saw Dott "sign Pauline's name." She felt she was doing Pauline a favour in agreeing, but the counter clerk refused to pay the benefits, kept the books and said Pauline would have to collect them.

The trial continues.

A WOMAN allegedly murdered by her husband was frightened of him shortly before her death in June 1997, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Martin Dott, 35, of no settled address but formerly of Pennine Way, Bacup, has pleaded not guilty to murder of mother-of-two Pauline Stevenson. The crown say Mrs Stevenson - she kept that name after marriage - died on the weekend of June 28/29, 1997. She, her husband and her friend Paddy Ward were drug users.

The body was found in the bath the following January after youths burgled the house in Austen Walk, Sholver, Oldham. There were bloodstains in both bedrooms. Her dead or dying body had been dragged to the bathroom. An expert decided she died from ligature strangulation, suffocation or drowning.

Mrs Stevenson was friendly with Rodney and Lisa McHugh and met their lodger, Joanne Higham, at a house in Swift Road, Sholver.

Crown witness Miss Higham, said she knew Mrs Stevenson, 31, was living with Paddy Ward in Austen Walk. After Ward was arrested for burglary and kept in custody, Pauline, a regular visitor to Swift Road, introduced them to Martin Dott as her brother.

"On some visits, Pauline occasionally borrowed methadone - she never did this before Martin Dott was on the scene," she told the jury. "I found out she was frightened of him. She did not remove herself from the situation because she was frightened of repercussions.

"When they were together she appeared depressed. Martin Dott spoke down to her and there were little arguments in my presence."

Dott resumed living with his wife after Ward was remanded in custody early in June 1997. Miss Higham said she last saw Pauline on Friday, June 27. On the Sunday, Dott called and asked her to collect his wife's benefits the next day.

He said Pauline would be in Scotland seeing relatives and unable to cash them. She said she saw Dott sign Pauline's name. She felt she was doing Pauline a favour in agreeing, but the counter clerk refused to pay the benefits, kept the books and said Pauline would have to collect them.

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