Jury sworn in in trial of Chesterfield man accused of murdering and dismembering popular pensioner

The seven women and five men, who were selected at random from a pool of 34 jurors, were sworn in at Derby Crown Court on Monday, March 9.

Two additional jurors were also selected as reserves.

Daniel Walsh, 30, of Marsden Street, Chesterfield, denies murdering 71-year-old Mr Snell last year, but admits dismembering the pensioner and hiding his body parts around Chesterfield.

On February 28, Derby Crown Court was told that the head and arms of a man, assumed to be Mr Snell, had finally been found by murder detectives.

Other parts of the body of "well-known and well-liked" Mr Snell were found in Chesterfield in July.

At the pre-trial hearing, prosecutor Peter Joyce QC said searches in late February "led to the recovery of the head" in one area.

He said they were "making the assumption" it belonged to Mr Snell.

He added the "left and right arms and hands" were found in another area on the same day.

"They were taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary on the date of their recovery for Professor [Guy] Rutty to examine these three separate body parts recovered from the area.

"He has to make sure that they are parts of the same body," Mr Joyce said.

Mr Snell was last seen alive 11 days before police were alerted to his disappearance on 30 June.

Previously, Derbyshire Police said parts of Mr Snell's body were discovered at the beginning of July during searches of his home in Marsden Street and a site in Oakamoor Close, about two miles away.

Officers continued to search both sites and were also at a small pond in Newland Gardens, off Newbold Road.

Speaking at an earlier hearing, Clive Stockwell, Walsh’s barrister, said: “He does accept dismembering and he does accept concealing the body parts that have been so far found.But he does not accept he’s responsible for the death of Mr Snell.

The trial continues.

We will be live blogging proceedings again on Tuesday to bring you all the latest developments from the trial.