Gosport murder trial: Kelly-Anne Case's alleged killer Brendan-Rowan Davies made 'burn her house down' comment to snooker club
JURORS have been told of the moment an alleged killer told snooker club members he would ‘burn down his partner’s home’ if she was unfaithful on holiday.
Brendan Rowan-Davies, 29, is accused of repeatedly slitting mum-of-three Kelly-Anne Case’s throat before setting her home in Grange Crescent, Gosport, on fire on July 30 last year.
Two members of Stoke Snooker Club, where the defendant was a member, told Winchester Crown Court he had been telling them about an unnamed new partner who he said had gone on holiday with her ex-boyfriend.
Giving evidence, club member Tom Brading said: ‘In general terms I think the conversation started by Brendan saying either his current partner, or I assumed it was his current partner he was talking about, was going to go on holiday with her ex-boyfriend.
‘I said to him “that’s quite understanding of you”.’
Mr Brading added: ‘After I’d said “that’s quite understanding”, he said: “If she’s done anything I’ll burn her house down with her in it”.’
Mr Brading said: ‘I took it as a flippant comment. I didn’t really think anything of it. I said it’s a bit over the top and laughed it off at the time.’
Elle-Mae Hilton, who was also outside the club with the defendant on July 24 at around 9pm, said: ‘We were talking about (how) he’d just got into a relationship and then I said that I’d seen it on social media and I asked who she was because he hadn’t put it on.
‘He didn’t mention her name. He just said that she had gone on holiday with another lad.’
She added: ‘He told me that if he found out anything happened he would burn her house down with her kids in it.’
Questioned by prosecutor William Mousley QC, she added: ‘Her and her kids.’
Ms Hilton said: ‘I asked him if it was a bit over the top and he said: “Well I don’t think so”.’
Defending, Kate Lumsdon QC said the defendant had not mentioned children in the comment. But Ms Hinton said: ‘He did say that in the comment.’
In her August statement to police she said she had thought Rowan-Davies was ‘just being stupid’.
Rowan-Davies, of Trinity Close, Gosport, denies murder and arson.
(Proceeding)