Neighbour Murdered in Noise Dispute on Christmas Day
James Hughes, aged 67, has been found guilty of murdering his next-door neighbour Harold Turner, 68, following an altercation over noise complaints on Christmas Day.
During the confrontation, Hughes sat on Turner, restricting his breathing, and struck him multiple times with a walking stick. The incident occurred at their sheltered accommodation in St Asaph, Denbighshire.
The Crown Court in Caernarfon was informed that Hughes was wearing a Dictaphone during the incident to aid with his memory difficulties. This device recorded Turner's final words.
The jury delivered a guilty verdict on Friday, with sentencing scheduled for a later date.
Details of the Confrontation
The court heard that the dispute on 25 December 2025 arose after Turner lodged complaints about noise emanating from Hughes's property.
The disagreement escalated outside Hughes's flat, culminating in Hughes sitting on Turner.
It was explained that Hughes frequently carried a voice recorder on a lanyard around his neck, which he used to document conversations due to his memory issues.
The jury listened to a recording made by Hughes capturing Turner's pleas, including "get off me" and "I can't breathe," to which Hughes responded,
"what a shame"and
"you can die for all I care".
Hughes stated the confrontation began after Turner saw him returning from walking his dog in their communal garden.
Following the incident, Hughes returned to his flat, turned on the radio, and made himself a hot drink.
Post-Incident Actions and Recordings
Some time after the altercation, Hughes made a phone call to his nephew, which was also recorded on the Dictaphone. During this call, he said:
"I think I may have killed someone."
"I was sitting on him, dying..."
He described Turner's head as "bleeding because I whacked it with my new walking stick."
Later in the conversation, Hughes expressed concern about potential legal consequences, stating:
"I just hope I haven't killed him or I'll cop a murder charge."
After the call, Hughes was heard asking his dog where his walking stick was, mentioning he needed to wash it.
When Hughes eventually contacted emergency services, he told operators he believed Turner might have suffered a heart attack and admitted to hitting Turner with his walking stick before falling himself.
Emergency responders attempted to resuscitate Turner but were unsuccessful.
Cause of Death and Family Statement
A post-mortem examination concluded that Turner died from asphyxia and had sustained blunt force trauma to his face and head.
Following Turner's death, his family released a statement expressing their sorrow:
"Harry Turner was one of six siblings who, on leaving school had joined the Navy before working in London, Ireland, and his hometown of Rhyl."
He will be sadly missed.
Police and Independent Oversight
North Wales Police referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after Turner's death.
The IOPC determined that an investigation was necessary but should be conducted locally by North Wales Police. They stated:
"We will maintain a level of oversight as they will need to share with us their investigation report, for review, if no conduct issues are identified by them."
