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| Former EastEnders actor killed after row about overflowing sink, court hears | Former EastEnders actor killed after row about overflowing sink, court hears |
| (3 months later) | |
| The former EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie was beaten to death by her brother after a row over an overflowing sink, a court has heard. | The former EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie was beaten to death by her brother after a row over an overflowing sink, a court has heard. |
| Tony McCluskie had left taps on at the flat they shared and Gemma, 29, thought this was the "last straw". | Tony McCluskie had left taps on at the flat they shared and Gemma, 29, thought this was the "last straw". |
| She drove home to ask her brother, a cannabis user, to leave but was never seen alive again, the Old Bailey was told on Monday. | She drove home to ask her brother, a cannabis user, to leave but was never seen alive again, the Old Bailey was told on Monday. |
| Crispin Aylett, QC, prosecuting, said the defendant killed his sister, cut up her body and dumped it in the Regent's Canal in east London. He then led police on a "wild goose chase" after reporting her missing in March, jurors heard. | Crispin Aylett, QC, prosecuting, said the defendant killed his sister, cut up her body and dumped it in the Regent's Canal in east London. He then led police on a "wild goose chase" after reporting her missing in March, jurors heard. |
| Tony McCluskie, 35, of Shoreditch, east London, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter but denies murder. He claims to have "blanked out" after arguing with her and has no recollection of killing her, the court was told. | Tony McCluskie, 35, of Shoreditch, east London, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter but denies murder. He claims to have "blanked out" after arguing with her and has no recollection of killing her, the court was told. |
| His sister played Kerry Skinner in the BBC soap in 2001. | His sister played Kerry Skinner in the BBC soap in 2001. |
| Aylett said: "For some time, there had been tension between Miss McCluskie and her brother. To Gemma, this was largely as a result of the defendant's habitual use of cannabis – and its most toxic form, skunk. | Aylett said: "For some time, there had been tension between Miss McCluskie and her brother. To Gemma, this was largely as a result of the defendant's habitual use of cannabis – and its most toxic form, skunk. |
| "Gemma told a friend, 'He's permanently stoned. He puts a spliff in his mouth first thing in the morning and doesn't know what he's doing.' | "Gemma told a friend, 'He's permanently stoned. He puts a spliff in his mouth first thing in the morning and doesn't know what he's doing.' |
| "On Thursday 1 March, last year, McCluskie had got up, gone to the bathroom and forgotten the taps were on in the sink. Unsurprisingly, Miss McCluskie was exasperated by this. She had had enough. | "On Thursday 1 March, last year, McCluskie had got up, gone to the bathroom and forgotten the taps were on in the sink. Unsurprisingly, Miss McCluskie was exasperated by this. She had had enough. |
| "Later, while she was out, her friends heard her arguing on the telephone with her brother about what had happened. | "Later, while she was out, her friends heard her arguing on the telephone with her brother about what had happened. |
| "It is clear that Gemma regarded this incident as the last straw and that she wanted the defendant to move out." | "It is clear that Gemma regarded this incident as the last straw and that she wanted the defendant to move out." |
| Aylett said the next day, Tony McCluskie sent his sister a text pretending she was still alive and ending "Love ya xx". | Aylett said the next day, Tony McCluskie sent his sister a text pretending she was still alive and ending "Love ya xx". |
| Her friends had grown anxious about her and had not been able to contact her. | Her friends had grown anxious about her and had not been able to contact her. |
| "A number of them began calling or sending texts to the defendant asking if he had heard from her," the lawyer added. | "A number of them began calling or sending texts to the defendant asking if he had heard from her," the lawyer added. |
| "To one on Saturday night, he replied: 'She didn't take the car, keys are on the side in the kitchen plus we wouldn't know if she took any clothes [as] she [has] so many!'" | "To one on Saturday night, he replied: 'She didn't take the car, keys are on the side in the kitchen plus we wouldn't know if she took any clothes [as] she [has] so many!'" |
| Then he reported her missing to police who from details given to them by him categorised her disappearance as low risk. He told officers that a former boyfriend owed her money and police should speak to him. | Then he reported her missing to police who from details given to them by him categorised her disappearance as low risk. He told officers that a former boyfriend owed her money and police should speak to him. |
| One hundred friends held a meeting in a local pub and then went out distributing leaflets appealing for information. | One hundred friends held a meeting in a local pub and then went out distributing leaflets appealing for information. |
| Tony McCluskie did not turn up at the pub until after the meeting had broken up, said Aylett. | Tony McCluskie did not turn up at the pub until after the meeting had broken up, said Aylett. |
| The following Tuesday morning, a woman navigating her barge on the canal in Hackney, noticed a suitcase floating in the water. It hit the side of the vessel and sprung open. "Inside was a female torso, no legs, no arms and no head," said Aylett. Gemma McCluskie had been identified by a small tattoo of a bow on her body. | The following Tuesday morning, a woman navigating her barge on the canal in Hackney, noticed a suitcase floating in the water. It hit the side of the vessel and sprung open. "Inside was a female torso, no legs, no arms and no head," said Aylett. Gemma McCluskie had been identified by a small tattoo of a bow on her body. |
| Over the next fortnight, her arms and legs were recovered separately from the water. But her head, which had been dumped in the canal at the same time, was not found until September. | Over the next fortnight, her arms and legs were recovered separately from the water. But her head, which had been dumped in the canal at the same time, was not found until September. |
| The trial continues | The trial continues |
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