A MAN murdered “the love of his life” and then attempted to sexually abuse a young girl in their care, a court has heard.

James Hore

A MAN murdered “the love of his life” and then attempted to sexually abuse a young girl in their care, a court has heard.

Daniel Tambengwa has denied killing nurse Ella Chimweta, 32, at their home in the Highwoods area of Colchester in July last year.

A trial at Chelmsford Crown Court today heard that an 11-year-old girl from Zimbabwe in the care of the couple spent a week in the flat with Ms Chimweta's body before alerting a passer by to what had happened.

It is alleged that after killing his partner Tambengwa, 30, also attempted to force the young girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, into a sexual activity and made her watch pornographic films with him.

The jury of eight men and four women were told that Ms Chimweta, who worked at Colchester General Hospital, suffered bruising to her neck, possibly fracturing it.

Richard Christie QC, prosecuting, said by the time Ms Chimweta's partially clothed body was found in her bedroom, it was in such a state it was difficult to tell exactly what had happened.

However, he said there were no signs that she died of natural causes.

Tambengwa, who was arrested in Africa, has denied murdering Ms Chimweta on or about July 9 and pleaded not guilty to further charges of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and of trying to make a child look at images of sexual activity between July 8 and 11.

The trial continues.