A Good Samaritan was battered to death with a mallet just days after taking in a homeless man.

Victoria Adams, 37, was found dead at her flat in west London, after police were called by concerned neighbours about a man attempting to break into the property late on a Sunday evening.

According to investigation, the deceased had suffered a brutal attack, sustaining at least 10 separate injuries to the back and side of her head after being repeatedly struck with a mallet.

She was found on February 9 this year, face down in a bedroom with a black bin bag over her head, which was covered by a pillow.

Prosecutor Peter Ratliff said the victim had only met the alleged killer, Apapale Adoum, 39, three days earlier.

She is alleged to have first encountered the defendant on February 6 when Adoum was living in a homeless shelter.

The court heard that Ms Adams had invited him to stay with her, but later wrote a note to ask him to leave.

Adoum, of no fixed address, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder following the discovery of the body. man.

Further investigations led to the recovery of a mallet which allegedly had blood and the victim’s DNA on it.