Office worker had 'blood pooling all around her' after being stabbed 17 times by ex partner, court hears
An office worker was left in a pool of her own blood after being stabbed by her ex-boyfriend - who later said he “could have done more” to her.
Anwar Ashraf, 38 and previously from Southsea, is on trial for the attempted murder of Carla Skeites, who was stabbed 17 times at 3600 Parkway in Whiteley on April 30 last year.
Ashraf has pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife, but not guilty to attempted murder.
This morning (Wednesday, March 25) Winchester Crown Court heard from a witness called Paul Chapter, who restrained Ashraf after Ms Skeites was stabbed. Mr Chapter was on a virtual meeting at his place of work when the attack began, he told the jury.
“I took my earplug out and heard another scream,” he said. “It certainly sounded like somebody was in trouble. I ran outside and shouted to the stairwell, “Where are you?” so I could look in the right place.
“There was another scream - it sounded like a woman’s - and it sounded like downstairs, so I ran that way.
“At the top of the stairs we saw the lady who had been sabbed. We could see blood pooling all around her from her torso.”
When Mr Chapter looked down he could also see the defendant, he told the jury. While two of his colleagues, who were trained in first aid, tended to Ms Skeites’ wounds, he turned his attention to Ashraf, who had also sustained an injury in the attack.
Mr Chapter added: “I shouted for the defendant to leave the building, I told him to, ‘get the f*** out’ just to get him out of there. He put his hands up quite slowly, but didn’t move towards the exit. At this point I needed to sort out his wrist because there was blood coming out; I wrapped his wrist in my shirt.
“In the same movement, I moved him away, to get as much disance between him and the woman as possible. I just tried to keep the situation calm. The door was locked so he couldn’t have gone anywhere.”
While they waited for emergency responders to turn up, Ashraf engaged in conversation with Mr Chapter, the witness said. He told the court that the defendant accused Ms Skeites of cheating on him, at one point told him “I could have done more” and suggested he had only scratched his victim.
“He seemed defeated and at times was saying ‘let me die’ - he would then get angry for a moment or two, then become much calmer again.
“I asked him about his children and he got quite upset, saying ‘what have I done.’”
(Proceeding)