A pensioner claimed he kept goats cheese and meat in a freezer where the dismembered body of his "soul mate" was later found, a court has heard. Delia McInerney was found dead in George Gordon's flat on Gerards Court in St Helens alongside her five guinea pigs, who Gordon is alleged to have drowned, in January this year.
But the 62-year-old, from Anfield, was said to have been killed as long ago as April 2023, having apparently been hit over the head with a hammer. She had supposedly been planning to move to Portugal to enjoy a "new life" only days later.
Gordon meanwhile bought a sledgehammer and electric handsaw from eBay in the weeks before Ms McInerney's death before stealing thousands of pounds from her bank account and taking out a £10,000 loan in her name. The 65-year-old is currently on trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of her murder.
Niece's evidence about the flat
His niece and goddaughter Paula Tillman was called to give evidence to the jury of five men and seven women heard today, Thursday. Wearing a grey checked coat in the witness box, she told the court that she "had a good relationship with her uncle throughout her life" and said that she "didn't really know" Ms McInerney "but knew she was like a partner to her uncle", adding: "I think they were like friends, partners."
Having last seen Gordon around Christmas of 2025, Ms Tillman said she had previously attended his flat "about 10 times or more to paint and decorate" at his request. Asked by lead prosecution counsel Martin Reid KC about the state of the property, she replied: "He looked like a bad hoarder. He had loads of animals. As soon as you walked through the communal doors, you could smell the stench of the flat. Every room was cluttered as soon as you walked in."
Ms Tillman also said she had helped to tidy the flat, recalling: "We took rubbish out. There was Delia's stuff in the flat. My uncle and John [Lawler, Gordon's cousin] had already moved bin bags out of the flat."
"As you walked into the living room, there was a load of gerbils. By the back windows, there was loads of guinea pigs. As you come into the hallway, there was about seven rabbits. He loved them guinea pigs. He named one Flo, after my nan. They looked very well. It was like cluttered with all the animals."
Ms Tillman added that, on one occasion, Gordon placed a guinea pig into his freezer after it had died, telling the jury: "It was while Delia was away, apparently, supposed to be away. But he said Delia knew about it. He constantly phoned me and said he had to go, because Delia was on the phone. He always talked about Delia. He loved her, he missed her."
'I was in disbelief'
Gordon was said to have kept the guinea pigs on top of the chest freezer where Ms McInerney's dismembered body was kept for nearly three years, with Ms Tillman having responded when asked whether he would place anything into the appliance: "No, he wouldn't. He just said he had goats cheese and meat in there."
"He didn't disclose what was in the freezer. The only way I knew about the freezer is when my mum phoned me up and told me what happened with my uncle George. I was in disbelief."
Ms Tillman was also asked whether any of Ms McInerney's belongings had been kept in the flat and said: "Yes. There was bank cards. There was clothing. There was everything of Delia's arts and crafts things. She used to paint. There was paintbrushes, paint, clothing."
Further questioned over whether Ms McInerney had her own room in the property, she told the court: "There was a room with a big bookcase in it. She had tin foil on the walls. She was an activist. She didn't like 4G."
Having been asked about her relationship with Ms McInerney, Ms Tillman replied: "I didn't have a good relationship with Delia, only because of the things I've been told about by my uncle. They had an argument and she hit him with a frying pan on his head. He ended up going to hospital and getting stitches."
"One time, my uncle was in hospital. I phoned up Delia. She said 'your uncle's in hospital, but I don’t know what hospital'. I was a bit angry at the time. Apart from that, Delia seemed like a nice woman."
Mr Reid went on to ask what Gordon had told her about Ms McInerney "in more recent times", at which Ms Tillman said: "He said she was in Australia and she met a lady. Apparently, they were having a baby together. He kept saying she was in Australia, then she'd go to Portugal."
Gordon was also said to have claimed that he "had hotels in Blackpool" and a "farm in Devon", with Ms Tillman having added: "He said I should take my two big dogs there. He was going to the Isle of Man. He was going over to Portugal to look after the Portugal residence over there. He said he was going to take over Delia's house as well."
Ms Tillman meanwhile told the court that Gordon had previously had a wife named Anne, adding: "George told me she died over Christmas time. She had cancer. I don't know whether she has or not. I'm just getting told what my uncle's told me."
Gordon in tears as he's labelled 'a giant teddy bear'
Gordon's defence barrister Gordon Cole KC then asked Ms Tillman in cross-examination if she "would describe him as a generous man". At this, she replied: "He's like a giant teddy bear. That's how I've known him all my life. He'll help anyone out if he can."
Having not appeared in courtroom 51 on either Tuesday or Wednesday this week, Gordon was seen wiping away tears in the dock, where he appeared with a bruised forehead while wearing a grey jumper, at this stage. Asked if she had "ever seen them argue", Ms Tillman added: "I have seen them have an altercation. Just like a debate. Just general things. My uncle said something and Delia hasn’t agreed with it."
Self-defence claim
Mr Reid previously told the jury during the prosecution's opening on Wednesday: "On the 8th of January this year, the police attended the defendant George Gordon's flat in St Helens. They went there because concerns had been raised by a number of people and agencies about the whereabouts and wellbeing of Delia McInerney."
"Ms McInerney had been friends with the defendant for many years and spent much of her time living at his flat, although she had her own house in Liverpool and property abroad. Ms McInerney's friends had not seen her for some time. The defendant, for over 18 months, lied to them about her whereabouts and sometimes pretended to be Ms McInerney when communicating with her friends by phone messages or email."
"Unbeknown to them, but known very well to the defendant, Delia McInerney had died in April 2023 at the defendant's hands. Her dismembered body was found in a chest freezer in the defendant's flat on the 8th of January this year."
"In the meantime, the defendant fraudulently obtained thousands of pounds from her bank accounts and obtained a loan and credit cards in her name. The defendant admits that he killed Delia McInerney but claims, we understand, that he acted in self-defence."
Gordon denies murder and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal after allegedly drowning five guinea pigs. The trial, before Mr Justice Goose, continues.
