Man found guilty of murdering Dudley pensioner who lay undiscovered in his home for two days
A man has been found guilty of murder after a pensioner suffered "multiple injuries" to his head and neck during an attack in his Dudley home.
Jay Lee Gallier was accused of killing Barry Johnson, 67, who was found dead in Dean Court, The Promenade, in Brierley Hill on August 25, 2021.
The pensioner was discovered two days after being attacked some time after returning from a shopping trip, prosecutor Mr Kevin Hegarty KC said.
Gallier, aged 33 and from Dudley, was found guilty by jurors of Mr Johnson's murder on Friday following a trial held at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Mr Hegarty KC said the defendant had appeared at the front door to Dean Court and had been "hanging around" before someone leaving let him inside.
The court heard how Gallier walked through a lobby and picked up a pair of slippers and later reappeared in the lift – no longer having the item on him.
"About that time Barry Johnson was in his flat, but by this time he was either dead or dying," the prosecutor said.
“He was not discovered until two days later when his brother John had been making a number of phone calls. They had made arrangements to go to shop. He was ringing and got no answer. So at about 6pm he went round to check on him.”
Mr Hegarty said that John Johnson got no reply when he knocked on the door, but when he turned the handle the door opened. He said he saw his brother on the floor. “He was lying face down and John at first thought Barry might have fallen. He saw a lot of blood and realised that his brother was dead.”
Meanwhile jurors heard bloodstained clothing was found at Gallier's address days after the attack. The defendant claimed that he had visited the alleged victim’s flat to smoke cannabis, and said there was another person present.
Gallier claimed he got a cannabis cigarette from a drug dealer, who was at the victim's flat when he arrived, and when the defendant left he thought Mr Johnson looked "a bit drunk but he was alright. He looked okay to me."
The court was told that Gallier’s fingerprints were found inside the flat and Mr Johnson’s blood was found on a pair of jeans at his address.
Gallier, of Salop Street, in Dudley, is set to be sentenced on April 27. He has been remanded in custody.
