‘Killer’ couple had sex twice a day but she turned down his bondage requests

A pregnant woman accused of helping her boyfriend to strangle a frail pensioner to death told police her DNA was only on a condom found at the victim’s home because her partner never washed.

Susan Hawkey, 71, was found decomposing under a duvet in her flat in Aylesbury Road, Neasden, northwest London, on 26 September 2022.

Chelsea Grant, 28, and her boyfriend Xyaire Howard, 23, lived a two minute walk from her and are accused of strangling her to death before going on a £13,000 spending spree with her bank cards.

They had targeted Ms Hawkey, a retired bank worker, in a series of street robberies before using her stolen house keys to rob her at her home, the Old Bailey heard.

Grant was pregnant at the time of Ms Hawkey’s death.

A used condom was found on Ms Hawkey’s living room sofa a few feet from the body.

Semen matching the DNA of Howard was found on the inside and outside of the condom, jurors were told.

Cellular material from Grant and two other individuals was also found.

A pink Durex condom wrapper with Howard’s fingerprint was found on the top of a pile of newspapers in the living room.

Grant told police she had daily or twice daily sex with Mr Howard, they never used a condom and he often wouldn’t wash or shower after sex.

She said she had never been to Hawkey’s home and said Howard had often asked her to engage in bondage and handcuffing during sex but she always refused.

Ms Hawkey was found with her hands tied behind her back and her trousers and underwear removed.

Grant told police she had used Ms Hawkey’s bank card but was under pressure from Howard who she said domestically abused her.

She said she did not know the owner of the card was dead or murdered.

She had Googled how long a decomposing body would take to smell as the couple went on a three week spending spree making 146 separate transactions on perfume, designer goods, a new television, clothing, shoes, sunglasses, watches and handbags, the prosecution said.

Grant denied making the searches, saying her boyfriend had complete access to her phone and knew her password.

Grant and Howard, from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean, deny murder. They admit fraud by using her bank cards.

On the second day of the prosecution opening, Annabel Darlow, KC, said a neighbour of Ms Hawkey’s had noticed that her recycling bins had been left out and by 26 September she was worried enough to knock on her door.

When there was no answer, she rang the police.

‘Police attended at 65 Aylesbury Close shortly before midday on 26 September and forced entry to the address

‘They found Susan Hawkey’s body which was in the living room, hidden under a duvet.

‘She was lying in the foetal position, with her knees drawn up to her chest and there was no-one else at the address.

‘Her body was heavily decomposed. Originally, the police treated the death as non- suspicious, until the body was reexamined at the mortuary.

‘It was found that Ms Hawkey’s hands were tied behind her back with some black shoe-laces and brown parcel tape.

‘Her face was covered with a red knitted sweater and there was a ligature around her neck.’

She was wearing a short-sleeved top which appeared to have been cut down the front and not wearing any trousers or underwear.

She had a fractured hyoid bone consistent with being strangled, the court heard.

Two rolls of ‘Ultra tape’, one clear one brown were found on the coffee table. Three pairs of scissors were also found in the living room.

‘You may think that these actions were all consistent with the defendants carrying out a ruthless and sustained attack on Ms Hawkey, with the aim of terrorising her into giving up her PIN.

‘Once she had disclosed the PIN, you may think the defendants may have been keen to check they were given the right number.

‘Once they were sure they had the right number, she she was not only no longer of any use to these defendants- they had a powerful motive to kill her.

‘Both to prevent her from blocking her card and to prevent Ms Hawkey from reporting them to the police.

‘She died while the restraints were still in place and a duvet thrown over her body, which was left with complete contempt to decompose in her own home.’

Police investigating Ms Hawkey’s murder had realised her card was being fraudulently used on an almost daily basis in the Wembley area and obtained images of the couple using her cards.

They noticed the card had been frequently used in Wembley McDonalds and on 28 September they attended and saw the couple sitting next to a bus stop opposite and arrested them.

Grant had Ms Hawkey’s debit card on her and a wallet containing £1,620. She said she had the cash as she was a private carer.

Ms Hawkey’s new house keys were found in their home, jurors heard.

On 20 September Grant had searched for ‘how to remove smell of a dead body that was in the house for a week and ‘if someone is kiled do the police tell bank.’

Howard searched for safety coveralls, Hazmat overalls and full face masks and respirators.

‘Those searches you may think may be of use to someone who was contemplating the movement and removal of what was known to be a decomposing corpse,’ Ms Darlow said.

Howard denied to police that he knew the password to Grant’s phone.

Ms Darlow said: ‘Following their arrest there seems to have been a falling out between these defendants, who you may think, scramble to blame each other.’

Grant and Howard, of Press Road, Neasden, deny murder.

Grant denies three counts of robbery while Howard denies two and admits one.

They both admit two counts of fraud.

The trial continues.