Murder trial: 'Part of name written in blood'

PART of the name of the alleged stalker accused of murdering a Stowmarket man was scrawled in blood on the victim's computer, a court heard.

Colin Adwent

PART of the name of the alleged stalker accused of murdering a Stowmarket man was scrawled in blood on the victim's computer, a court heard.

The first three letters of David Heiss' first name were on the side of Matthew Pyke's computer, Nottingham Crown Court was told yesterday.

Heiss, 21, is charged with killing Mr Pyke by stabbing him 86 times after becoming besotted with the Suffolk man's girlfriend Joanna Witton.

Shaun Smith QC, prosecuting, asked Heiss to look at a picture of a computer monitor where it appeared that someone had tried to write the name 'David' in blood.

Mr Smith asked Heiss if he had written that, and the defendant replied 'no'.

Heiss, who denies murder, told the court how he went to Mr Pyke's flat in North Sherwood Street in Nottingham on September 19 last year after getting a flight from Frankfurt via Amsterdam to Birmingham, before getting a train to Nottingham.

He said he had initially lied to police about buying the knife used in the alleged attack at a shop in Birmingham.

Heiss admitted yesterday that he had bought the knife in Frankfurt before boarding the plane to the UK and had put it in his suitcase.

He explained that the purpose of travelling to England with a knife was because he thought if things did not work out he might harm himself.

Prosecutors allege Heiss had become obsessed with Joanna Witton, who Heiss had met online, and travelled to the UK to kill 20-year-old Mr Pyke.

Heiss said he had a knife in his waistband when he arrived at the flat, and punched Mr Pyke in the face.

He said they scuffled and Mr Pyke, who was due to being a course at Nottingham Trent University the following month, took the knife.

The pair continued to struggle and Heiss claimed the former Stowmarket High School pupil ended up stabbed as a result. Heiss said that he felt something cold inside his knee and when he looked down he saw some blood and that Mr Pyke was holding the knife.

He detailed how the scuffling continued until Mr Pyke, who previously lived in Chelsworth Way, Stowmarket, stopped struggling.

Heiss said: "I realised what had just happened. I tried to feel his palms. My hands were shaking.

"I stood up and saw I was covered in blood. I could see the police station outside and I was thinking there's no way someone will believe that, even if you went outside and told them."

Heiss washed and changed his clothes and returned to Germany, the court heard.