POLICE admitted it was “frustrating” not being able to tell jurors of previous murder allegations against a crack addict who beat a Tottenham pensioner to death.

Melanie Cole, 49, went to her ex-boyfriend’s home in Lordship Lane looking to rekindle their relationship but when he was out she split his 91-year-old father William Reilly's head open with a bottle of wine.

The drugs and booze fiend stole just £80 from the house, in Tower Gardens Road, which she immediately spent on crack cocaine, on December 29, police say.

She was jailed for life with a minimum of 30 years at the Old Bailey on Monday, but this was not her first appearance at the court.

In 2005, she was acquitted of murdering a man she used to live with, who was found beaten and stabbed to death in the bath of his home, in Lordship Lane.

Forensic tests revealed she had the victim’s blood on her clothes but she walked free after two separate juries failed to reach a verdict.

Detective Inspector Keely Smith, who worked on the current case, said: “It’s frustrating but careful consideration is given to whether or not we would let the jury know about that case.

“She wasn’t actually found guilty, there were two hung juries. It was frustrating when she stands in the box and her defence counsel says she’s not a violent person.

“Who knows what would have happened if she had been convicted back then. She would definitely still be serving her term of imprisonment.”

Police say Cole was quite well known in the pubs around Lordship Lane and so were the details of her previous case.

Mr Reilly, known as Bill, was a hardworking family man who was hard of hearing, partially sighted and used a walking stick and walking frame.

He was well known and popular in the community in Tottenham.