Gosport murder trial: Accused killer Brendan Rowan-Davies has previous conviction for burglary

Brendan Rowan-Davies, 29, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of murdering mum-of-three Kelly-Anne Case at her home in Grange Crescent, Gosport, and then setting a fire on July 30.

Jurors have been told firefighters discovered 29-year-old Ms Case on the edge of her bed with her wrists cable tied together at around 8.15am after being called to a fire in her home.

Prosecutor Alex Kettle-Williams today told jurors that the defendant, of Trinity Close, Gosport, was convicted in February 2017 of burglary with intent to steal.

Detailing the previous conviction to jurors, Miss Kettle-Williams said a woman with her children in bed at 6.30am at home in Gosport heard a bang then saw the defendant coming up the stairs and said he ‘smelt of alcohol’ and was ‘covering his face’ while carrying a shoe. It happened in summer 2016.

The prosecutor said: ‘The female challenged the defendant. He stated that he had seen someone breaking into her house and that he was trying to help her.

‘The defendant then entered the occupied bedroom and she reached for her phone to call the police.

‘The defendant then went downstairs and instead of exiting the front door entered her kitchen. The female called the police and shouted to the defendant that she was doing so.’

Jurors heard the occupant then heard cutlery being moved in the kitchen. The prosecutor added: ‘The defendant began to climb the stairs again, and the female asked if he had a knife and he said he didn’t.’

The woman, unnamed in court, then ‘out of fear barricaded’ herself and children into a bedroom.

Police found a butter knife on the stairs but the intruder had left by the time officers arrived, Miss Kettle-Williams said.

Rowan-Davies’ DNA was found on a rear window and he was questioned by police, the court was told.

In a police interview he said he had drunk four pints at a pub in the evening but ‘was only tipsy’. He said ‘he had observed two males’ at the house in Gosport and saw the back window was open and thought a burglary was taking place.

‘Because of that he kicked the front door in,’ Miss Kettle-Williams said, summarising his police interview.

Rowan-Davies told police he went up stairs, had picked up a knife from the kitchen side, had fallen over and cut his right arm. ‘He denied trespassing with intent to steal or cause serious harm,’ the prosecutor said.

Earlier, the court heard three DNA profiles found on cable ties in Miss Case’s bedroom were a billion times more likely to come from her and Rowan-Davies, and another person, than Miss Case and two people unrelated to Rowan-Davies.

The defendant denies murder and arson.

(Proceeding)