A CARER accused of the manslaughter of a veteran tried to clear up blood smeared around her flat, a court has heard.

Izabela Dauti used a mop and bucket to clean the blood of 84-year-old Malcolm Cox which was spread around her home in Bell Road, Andover, in November 2016.

Today (Monday) jurors at Winchester Crown Court were told that diluted and diffused patches of blood were found in all but one room of Ms Dauti’s home after Mr Cox hit his head on a ceramic plant pot causing a six-centimetre wound to the back of his head.

Forensic scientist Daniel Beaumont said that tissue and blood were found on the edge of the pot that could only have occurred due to “forceful contact”.

Mr Beaumont added that during an examination of Ms Dauti’s flat, he found stains on the kitchen sink which he considered could have been transferred by either a person or an object, but he said that much of the blood found following the incident in lower parts of the walls.

Jurors were also shown images from the crime scene, including one of a heavily stained rug which had blood on both sides.

Defending, Harendra de Silva questioned Mr Beaumont about blood which was discovered on the front door of Ms Dauti’s flat.

Mr de Silva argued that Mr Cox could have been bleeding before he entered the accused flat, but Mr Beaumont deemed that this could have been transferred by others using the door to enter and exit the home.

The court was also told that if emergency services were called hours earlier then Mr Cox could have survived.

Consultant anaesthetist Dr Charles Thomson, who looked at all the evidence as to Mr Cox’s treatment, said that if someone had put pressure on Mr Cox’s wound then they might have “stopped the bleeding and the cascade of events which ultimately lead to his death”.

Dr Thomson added that the member of the Andover Royal British Legion was “very close to death” when paramedics eventually arrived, due to his low blood pressure.

“By the time the ambulance arrived and Mr Cox [was] in hospital, his blood loss and critical condition in my mind are completely incompatible with survival,” Dr Thomson said.

The court heard that a post-mortem found Mr Cox had died of multiple organ failure, and forensic pathologist Dr Amanda Jeffery said that she presumed that Mr Cox “was significantly unwell that when he got to hospital they were unable to save him”.

Dr Jeffery added that bruising was found on Mr Cox’s body suffered from the incident, earlier falls and medical intervention.

Ms Dauti, 40, denies the manslaughter of Mr Cox by gross negligence.

The trial continues.