Man cleared of Kellie Telesford murder

The BBC carries this report (link):

A teenager has been cleared of killing a transsexual woman found strangled in her south London home.

Shanniel Hyatt, 18, denied that he killed Kellie Telesford in a rage after discovering she was a pre-operative transgender female who was born a man.

Her body was found after they engaged in sexual activity at her Thornton Heath flat, the Old Bailey heard.

Mr Hyatt, from Norbury, south London, was found not guilty of murder and an alternative count of manslaughter.

Evening date

The teenager, a father-of-one whose girlfriend was away at the time of the incident, admitted meeting Ms Telesford for a date and going back to her flat.

He was filmed on CCTV leaving Ms Telesford’s home in the early hours of 18 November last year, using her Oyster travel card to board a bus.

Ms Telesford, who worked as a florist and beautician, was found dead at the flat three days later. She had been strangled with a scarf.

Prosecutor Sally O’Neill told the court that Mr Hyatt stole Ms Telesford’s mobile phone and electronic equipment as well as her Oyster card.

‘Cheap thief’

Defending, Joanna Greenberg said Mr Hyatt was a “cheap and nasty thief” but that Ms Telesford was “fit and well” when he left her flat.

She suggested that Ms Telesford may have died during a consensual sex game which went wrong, or that she may have inflicted her fatal injuries herself.

Mr Hyatt said he only realised Ms Telesford was born a man shortly before police interviewed him.

Ms Greenberg said there were no signs that Ms Telesford fought Mr Hyatt, even though she had “a man’s strength”.

Mr Hyatt was remanded in custody on separate immigration matters.

ETA: I can’t figure out where this leaves us with regards to knowing how Kellie Telesford died.

Earlier in the trial, the defence barrister wanted us to believe that Kellie died while playing “kinky sex games” – so, what now? – on her own, after Hyatt had left, taking with him her cellphone and travelcard?

And did she strangle herself before or after she covered her body in the white blanket? – Remember that “the scarf was tied so tightly around her neck [the paramedics] could only get the tips of their fingers inside“…

And what of the “potentially partial DNA evidence” on the scarf that may have come from three or even four people?

Later edit: The more I think about this, the more I…

I mean, they even had the guy on CCTV, leaving her flat, using her Oystercard – and he’s not even guilty of identity theft?

Perhaps we should remember that “Mr Hyatt was remanded in custody on separate immigration matters“. Oh right, yes. That’ll help…

Three days Kellie Telesford lay dead on the floor of her flat.

Three frickin days...

…If you call that ‘justice’…

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Saturday morning edit: I’ve also posted about this (with a link roundup) over at The F-Word. Link here.

…*shrugs*…

‘Be nice’, indeed: time will tell…

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FWIW, my earlier posts on this trial are here (most recent first):

• Kellie Telesford murder – “DNA tests proved inconclusive”
• Kellie Telesford murder – “no evidence of kinky sex”
• Teenager denies killing transgender woman