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A teenager tried to cut off Lindsay Birbeck's leg before using a wheelie bin to hide her body in a shallow grave in a cemetery, a court was told today.

The mum-of-two was found in Accrington Cemetery by a dog walker on August 24 last year - 12 days after being reported missing.

A 17-year-old boy is accused of murdering the teaching assistant in woodland before using the bin to bury her naked body.

The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admits hiding and moving the body - but denies murder claiming he was offered "a lot of money" by an unknown man to "get rid of the body", Lancashire Live reports.

Harrowing evidence heard in court revealed how Lindsay's body was found with severe injuries - including lacerations to her right leg.

Dr Naomi Carter, giving evidence for the prosecution, told the court that 'there was some attempt to cut off the right leg after death', reports Lancashire Live.

She said there was a 16cm laceration injury on Lindsay’s right leg which had a cut to the bone and knee cap.

In her opinion, Dr Carter said the cut could have been made using a saw as there was evidence of 'teeth marks'.

(Image: Lancs Live/MEN Media)

She also explained that 'significant force' had been used to fracture her neck before she died and her 'larynx appeared to be crushed'.

She said there was ‘gross disruption of the deep neck structures’ but it was 'unclear if strangulation had occurred'.

The jury was told that it was ‘unusually severe for simple compression of the neck’ for strangulation to be the ‘only explanation’.

Dr Carter said: "It suggests to me some sort of severe compressive force directed at the neck, either through stamping or kicking of kneeling on the front of the neck.

"I have never seen compression with this sort of damage to the neck in 25 years."

Dr Carter said there were ‘no stab wounds or incision wounds’ on Lindsay’s body and that it was ‘very difficult to see if there was any bruising’ because of the level of decomposition.

The pathologist carried out the post mortem examination at Royal Blackburn Hospital on August 26 and said the cause of death was 'neck injuries'.

Under cross examination from defence barrister Mark Fenhalls QC, Dr Carter said she could not confirm that dark patches on Lindsay's arms were self defence injuries due to the levels of decomposition.

Dr Carter said she could also not date any possibly bruising on Lindsay's neck. The jury was told that it could have happened ‘moments before death or days before death’.

(Image: Lancs Live/MEN Media)

Asking the pathologist about the neck injuries, Mr Fenhalls said: “You don’t know if it’s a consequence of kneeling or stamping or what?”

Dr Carter said the neck injuries were caused by ‘severe compressive force’ but couldn’t be more definitive.

The jury were also read a statement from dog walker Morgan Parkinson who found Lindsay's body on the evening of August 24.

Mr Parkinson said his dog had run into the wooded area at Accrington Cemetery and he shouted for her to come back ‘three or four times’ but she didn't come out.

He said: "She had her head down in the bushes and was sniffing something. She was not paying attention to me when I shouted her name.

"I walked further forward and stood on something soft and squishy. I immediately jumped back and grabbed my dog by the collar.

"I then smelt a horrible smell and it smelt rotten. I could see plastic and what looked like a leg."

Mr Parkinson said he called the police on 101 at 7.23pm to report the finding but 'couldn't get through'.

When his partner Sarah arrived at the scene he called 999 at 7.42pm.

The jury were told that PC Robyn Say attended the cemetery at around 8pm and was led to the area by Mr Parkinson.

In her statement, she said: "What I saw was a shallow ditch with a mound of soil in the middle.

"It looked artificially obscured using undergrowth.

"There was a section that had been disturbed by Mr Parkinson's dog.

"Under this was plastic and I could see what looked like pale skin."

The youth is standing trial at Preston Crown Court where he denies a single charge of murder.

The trial continues.