A court heard that a murder victim was severely frightened of the alleged killer who coerced him into surrendering his benefits. Ashley Crowder, aged 36, denied the accusations of murdering Graham Cox, who was discovered deceased in Crowder’s residence in Bolton in March 2024. Testimony revealed that prior to his death, Mr. Cox reported at a support facility that he had been illicitly detained by Crowder for a fortnight and subjected to physical violence.
According to reports from Manchester Evening News, Crowder, residing in Farnworth, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, manslaughter, assault causing bodily harm, and multiple theft offenses. In a police video presented during the trial, a close acquaintance of the deceased, John Mahon, expressed that Mr. Cox had become fearful of Crowder after being discharged from the hospital.
Mahon detailed instances where Crowder humiliated and physically assaulted Mr. Cox. He recounted an incident where Crowder berated Mr. Cox for sitting on his sofa with his trousers partially lowered, leading to physical aggression. Mahon further testified that he had observed Crowder’s abusive behavior towards Mr. Cox behind closed doors.
When questioned by Crowder’s defense barrister, Mahon acknowledged his change in opinion towards Crowder following discussions with the authorities. Despite his altered perspective, Mahon emphasized the distress caused by Mr. Cox’s demise. The trial proceedings are ongoing.
