Gosport murder trial: Kelly-Anne Case's alleged killer Brendan-Rowan Davies made 'burn her house down' comment to snooker club

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)