A TINY, elderly woman was beaten to death with her own walking stick after trying to stop a “psychotic” husband from killing his wife, a court heard.

Daniel Appleton is on trial for murdering his wife and a 76-year-old woman who confronted him.

The jury was told how he snatched Sandy Seagrave’s walking stick and “hit her with all his might”.

Appleton, 37, is accused of using the same walking stick to bludgeon his wife Amy as she cowered on the drive of their home in Crawley Down, near Gatwick.

Neighbour Ivonne Greenwell watched from her bedroom window as Appleton carried out the horrific attack while wearing nothing but his boxer shorts.

The Argus: Amy Appleton and Sandy Seagrave were killed in Hazel Way, Crawley DownAmy Appleton and Sandy Seagrave were killed in Hazel Way, Crawley Down

She said: “He grabbed or snatched the walking stick out of her hand and he hit her over the head with it so hard, hard enough that she fell to the ground.”

“There was no noise, it happened in a flash.

“She was on the ground, motionless.

“I banged my hand on the window a couple of times and screamed, ‘Dan, stop it, don’t do it’.

“He then took the walking stick in both hands and with full force, hit Sandy on the head repeatedly.

“It was just too horrible to watch.”

Ms Greenwell described Appleton as being in a blinding rage like a man possessed.

Janet Spragg was walking her dog at the time of the attack on December 22.

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She said: “He took the walking stick off her. It seemed such a mean thing to do.

“Within seconds he had turned it around and with all his force, pushed it into her stomach.

“He punched it into her stomach with such force, she dropped straight to the ground.”

She told the court that Appleton made a “victory speech” shouting “you think I’m a f***ing nutter. I’ll show you”.

Ms Spragg added: “He raised the stick above his head with his right hand.

“I screamed at him. I could see what his intentions were.

“He brought down the stick onto her head. I think he did it a second time.

“You can’t quite compute that’s happened.

“It was horrific, it was horrific.

“It was full force and she was lying still.

“There was no movement going on there was no need for any of that.

“It was senseless.”

The Argus: Daniel Appleton tried to kill himself after the incident in Crawley DownDaniel Appleton tried to kill himself after the incident in Crawley Down

Appleton has admitted killing the pair in December last year but denies murder.

The court has heard that he may have been under the influence of potent synthetic drugs at the time.

The trial continues.