Gosport murder trial: Mum recalls aftermath after Mark Oliver fatally stabbed his brother Andrew

‘Quiet’ Mark Oliver, 56, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of killing his 53-year-old ‘charmer’ brother Andrew Oliver, a grandfather and dad-of-two on February 2.

Jurors heard how Mark Oliver stabbed his unarmed sibling during a frenzied attack following a row over pillowcases - with a fatal blow next to his left nipple.

A police interview of mum Jean Oliver, 86, was played to the court.

The pensioner, who suffers from dementia and whose condition has since worsened, told officers the day after the incident: ‘I was downstairs and I heard a commotion upstairs - I thought it was Mark (who has epilepsy) having a fit.

‘I went upstairs and saw Mark covered in blood. His jeans and face were covered in blood.

‘I was wondering what it was all about.’

She added: ‘I thought Mark had a nose bleed. I didn’t think it was any worse than that.

‘Blood was all round his face and mouth.’

Asked by detectives what she could hear, Mrs Oliver said: ‘I could hear both of them.

‘They were shouting at each other - it was very aggressive. I couldn’t distinguish one from the other.

‘I don’t like shouting and being aggressive.’

The softly spoken mum told police she asked ‘what was going’ following the disturbance. ‘Mark said he’s sick to death of Andrew taking things,’ she said.

The mum, who said her mind was ‘like custard’ after struggling to remember details during the police interview, told officers she went downstairs and ‘bawled her eyes out’ following the incident after saying there was ‘nothing I could do’.

She recalled Mark calling 999 and asking for ambulance and police.

‘I thought Andrew was hurt but I thought paramedics would sort it out,’ she said, recalling when emergency crews had arrived in the house.

After looking up the stairs, Mrs Oliver told officers: ‘I saw Andrew at the top of the landing in a peculiar position - he must have crawled there.

‘He was very white and I went to try and help him but paramedics were doing things so I left it.

‘Mark was standing on the stairs. I don’t recount him saying anything.’

Mrs Oliver went on to say there had been problems with items getting ‘mixed up in the washing’.

She said: ‘Andrew would say Mark takes his things but he doesn’t - it’s just one of those things.’

SEE ALSO: Day one of murder trial – jury is told stabbing followed argument over pillowcases

Asked by officers if she thought the argument was specifically over pillowcases Mrs Oliver agreed before adding: ‘They both had this thing about nice bedding.’

The mum went on to say how Andrew enjoyed ‘boozing’ and going to festivals. ‘He was a bit of a charmer,’ she said.

Describing Oliver, she told police: ‘He was very quiet and kept himself to himself.’

Mrs Oliver said she ‘loved’ having her sons live with her and said they normally ‘got on’ and had ‘never seen them fight before’.

The parent added that Andrew was ‘a bit jealous’ after Mark bought the former council house they all lived in.

Mark Oliver denies murder.

(Proceeding)