Accused wiping blood when police arrived, court told

A woman accused of murdering her disabled neighbour was wiping up the blood when police walked in, Wanganui District Court was told.

Police allege Ana Andrea Hemara, 43, punched, kicked and stomped on Heather Simons, 44, after inviting her over for drinks on February 15.

She has also been charged conspiring to obstruct justice, with flatmate Michael Douglas Christison, 22.

Ms Simons, who suffered from cerebral palsy, died two days later in Wellington Hospital when her life support was switched off.

At a depositions hearing yesterday Senior Constable Matthew Blyth said Ms Simons was unconscious and bleeding when he arrived.

Hemara was attempting to wipe blood of the carpet with a cloth, The Dominion Post newspaper reported.

A tape of Christison's 111 call was played, in which he said the victim had been beaten up.

"She's bled all over the carpet man. I don't know what my landlord's gonna say," he told the operator.

Mr Blyth said the pair claimed to have found Ms Simons' body outside, although their descriptions of the circumstances differed.

- NZPA