AN EAST Lancashire businessman who was hacked to death with an axe by his girlfriend was struck by the weapon as he stood up and while he was kneeling and lying on the floor, a forensic expert told a court.

The jury at Leeds Crown Court had heard Danny O'Brien, 40, was discovered at his detached house in Midgley, West Yorkshire, with a large axe embedded in his head. Mr O'Brien lived in Townsendfold, Rawtenstall, until three years ago.

He was lying naked and face down in the blood-spattered bedroom of the house which he shared with his partner Jan Charlton, 36.

Mr O'Brien had been hit more than 20 times, the jury heard.

Charlton, a former escort girl, has admitted killing him but denies murder.

She says she was acting in lawful self-defence after the former company director threatened to kill both her and her four-year-old daughter. Charlton also claims provocation.

Senior forensic scientist Samantha Warnakulasuriya, who said she could be referred to in court as Miss Warna, told the jury she examined the scene of Mr O'Brien's death on May 23, last year, the day he died.

Miss Warna said she believed the body had not been moved since the attack and that the majority of the blows had been administered while Mr O'Brien was lying on the ground.

But she agreed with Paul Worsley QC, prosecuting when he said: "Some of the blows he received had been inflicted whilst he was at least partially upright. He could have been kneeling."

Miss Warna told the jury some blood found on the ceiling indicated that he had been hit twice while he was standing up.

Asked what action Charlton would have used with the weapon Miss Warna replied: "I believe the action used to cause the injuries was a chopping-type action because had the axe been swung fully back through the air I would have expected to see what we call cast-off blood staining along the ceiling."

(Proceeding.)