Murder accused recorded on phone as he stabbed and strangled girlfriend after eating cannabis brownie, court hears
A man accused of murdering his girlfriend was recorded on a mobile phone as he repeatedly stabbed, strangled, and ran over her during a psychotic episode after eating a cannabis brownie, a court has been told.
University student Lauren Bloomer, who was stabbed more than 30 times, “recorded her own murder” after seeking advice on the internet about the “bad weed trip” suffered by Jake Notman, Stafford Crown Court heard.
Notman, 27, denies murdering 25-year-old Miss Bloomer at their home in Bingley Avenue, Tamworth, in the early hours of 20 November last year, claiming he did not form the necessary intent due to his mental state.
Opening the case, prosecutor Deborah Gould told jurors that Miss Bloomer had activated her telephone to record what was happening “like something out of the movie Scream”.
Describing what could be seen or heard on the near-17-minute recording, Ms Gould told the court: “The audio captured the moments leading up to, including and after the murder.
“It shows the defendant as he began to attack Lauren Bloomer, at first with his bare hands.
“At the start of the recording you will hear her laughing and the defendant accusing her of laughing at him.”
The jury was told that Notman became aggressive nine minutes into the recording, around a minute before Lauren is heard saying ‘please help me’ to his aunt in a call on a second phone.
The Crown’s barrister added: “You may think when you hear the sounds that the defendant is downstairs, the phone remaining upstairs.
“At 10 minutes and 49 seconds in the recording, Lauren stops screaming. The defendant is then heard shouting ‘I will never f****** see you again’.”
Police at the scene in Bingley Avenue, Tamworth, in November last year. Pic: Adam Hughes/SWNS
Notman, the court was told, was then heard saying “I am going to make sure”, before the sound of a revving engine is heard.
A thud was then recorded by the victim’s phone, which the Crown says was the sound of Notman’s Ford Kuga being driven over Miss Bloomer.
The defendant, who worked for Jaguar Land Rover at its Solihull site, was seen by neighbours as he ran over his partner’s body, and took no steps to help her before heading back into their house, it is alleged.
He is then said to have dialled 999 at 1.32am, telling the operator he had “been told I have killed my girlfriend”.
Notman had made no comment in five police interviews, instead providing a statement suggesting the cannabis brownie – the first he had ever consumed – had something in it other than cannabis, Ms Gould said.
Telling the court three psychiatrists had assessed Notman’s “disordered” behaviour, Ms Gould said it was believed he had suffered an adverse reaction.
But she told the jury: “It does not provide a defence in law.”
“A disordered intention caused by self-induced ingestion of an intoxicant is as good as a sober intention.
“You can infer that the defendant intended to kill Lauren or cause her really serious injury from the fact that he beat her, tried to strangle her… and sought out a knife and used it to attack Lauren for a second time.
“You can infer it from what he said before he drove the car over her.”
The psychiatrists in the case agree Notman was experiencing a psychotic episode, the jury heard.
Defence barrister Andrew Fisher QC also made a brief address to the jury at the start of the trial, saying Notman had suffered an “extreme florid psychiatric episode in the course of which he totally lost touch with reality and became wholly delusional”.
The trial continues.
Thunderstorm warnings have been issued for large parts of the country, lasting from lunchtime until Monday night.
The Met Office says thunder and heavy downpours could cause flooding and travel problems.
Southeast England – including Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and south London – could be affected from noon, says the forecaster.
Other areas affected are mid-Wales and most of northern England, stretching up past Glasgow into southwest Scotland.
That warning is in force from 1pm – with both alerts ending at 9pm.
Pic: Met Office
Pic: Met Office
“Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures,” says the Met Office, while there is also a small chance that roads and properties could be flooded.
Bank Holiday Monday has brought a grey and cloudy start for many, with forecasts ranging from 12C (53F) in the Hebrides to 18C (64F) in northern England at 1pm.
Get the latest Sky News forecast for where you live
However, it will become warmer, brighter and drier from Tuesday with high pressure forecast for much of the UK – and it should stay that way for next weekend.
Read more from Sky News:
Woman arrested after baby has cardiac arrest at Legoland
Sunak admits Tories may not win general election
London is expected to have 23C (73F) with sunny spells next Saturday and Sunday, according to the Met Office.
Highs of 20C (68F) are forecast in Edinburgh, while Cardiff is set for sunshine and 19C (66F), and Belfast likely to struggle with cloud but still feeling warm with a maximum of 20C.
West Ham have agreed a deal in principle with Julen Lopetegui to take over from David Moyes as manager at the end of the season, Sky Sports News understands.
Lopetegui, 57, has been out of work since leaving Wolves three days before the start of the season but has stayed in England in the hope of landing another job in the Premier League.
The Spaniard, who has also managed Porto, Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla during an illustrious coaching career, looks set to take charge at the London Stadium at the end of the season after Moyes’ expected departure.
Julen Lopetegui. File pic: PA
West Ham are ninth in the league after Sunday’s 5-0 defeat at Chelsea.
Moyes, 61, who is out of contract in the summer, has faced increased questions about his future as his team have won only one of their previous nine league games.
He said he felt “really sorry” for West Ham fans after watching his side fall to a heavy loss at Stamford Bridge.
He said: “The fans have been great but I feel bad for them.
“I don’t normally have teams who get beaten like this but we are lacking some ingredients – mental toughness and leadership to get better results, or at least not get hammered.
West Ham United manager David Moyes during the Premier League defeat at Chelsea. Pic PA
“The fans played their part and I can only say I’m really sorry for how it played out.”
Asked if he was frustrated that the club was regularly being linked with other managers, he said: “I’ll talk to the board at the end of the season. We’ll do that then.”
The Scot, whose second spell as Hammers boss began in 2019, led the club to their Premier League points total of 65 in 2021, finishing in sixth place.
The following year they finished seventh and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.
They went one better last year, winning the Europa Conference League final, the club’s first European trophy since 1965.
In November, Lopetegui told Sky Sports News he had unfinished business in the Premier League.
He said: “It’s why I’ve said no to different countries and different situations because I would like to stay here in England. I feel like our team here is just starting and we want to achieve our dreams.
“The way the country lives football here is special – it’s the best league in the world, the most competitive league in the world, the best environment for the players, coaches and fans too.”
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Environment12 months agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports6 months agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Environment1 year agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Sports1 month agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Environment1 year agoTesla advances Powerwall pilot project with German electric company