Man stabbed to death before killer turned on his partner, jury is told

NEIGHBOUR, 44, HAS DENIED MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER

- By MARTIN NAYLOR

The police cordon near the scene in Bulwell, in April this year

A 59-YEAR-OLD Nottingham man was stabbed to death at his home before the knifeman turned his attention to the victim's partner, a murder trial has heard.

Linton Needham was on crutches when he was attacked multiple times by neighbour Gediminas Cepla, a jury was told.

The 44-year-old, of Bulwell, then used the same knife on 33-year-old Nikita Cutler after she came out of the bathroom to find her boyfriend bleeding, prosecutor Peter Joyce KC told Nottingham Crown Court

After being stabbed twice, she jumped out of a window and screamed for help, a recording played to the jury of eight women and four men heard.

And the motive for the killing “may not be entirely clear,” the hearing was told.

Cepla is on trial for murdering Mr Needham and for the attempted murder of Miss Cutler. He denies both charges.