Trial hears '˜trail of blood led police to Portsmouth stabbing scene'

Lee Rendell, 37, is on trial accused of stabbing 32-year-old Phillip Mills at his (Rendell’s) flat in Spicer House, King William Street in Portsea.

Simon Foster, prosecuting, said the pair met in a pub the night before the attack in Rendell’s flat on October 17 last year.

Mr Mills had been looking for his girlfriend at 9.30am when he went to Rendell’s flat and started drinking vodka and Red Bull with his friend Jake Tillsbury and others.

Rendell was asleep in his bedroom at the time but he came into the living room at around noon, Mr Foster said.

He said Mr Mills recollection of what happened was Rendell came into the lounge and ‘started on’ Jake Tillsbury, Mr Mills’ friend.

Rendell and Mills fought with a ‘struggle’ between them both before they fell on to the couch, the court heard.

Rendell – wearing just a dressing gown – went to the kitchen and returned with a knife while Mr Mills sat ‘exhausted’ in a chair, the jury at Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

Mr Foster added: ‘Before he could get out the chair the defendant came back into the lounge with a knife.

‘The defendant jumped on top of Mr Mills. Mr Mills immediately felt a sharp pain to the left side of his forehead.

‘There were apparent jabs to his stomach as well.

‘This was a sudden and no doubt extremely frightening attack on Mr Mills.’

He added Mr Mills tried to stop Rendell but suffered cuts to his hands and arm.

Mr Foster said Mr Mills then left the flat followed by his friend Jake and Rendell’s Great Dane dog called Romeo.

A policeman stopped Mr Mills after seeing his injuries but he did not want to assist police and only later went to a walk-in clinic for help and was sent to hospital.

It was then a doctor called police and they took a statement from Mr Mills.

Mr Foster added: ‘The police went back to where he’d first been spotted, saw the blood and followed the trail of blood back to this defendant’s place.’

Rendell was arrested at 5pm but refused to answer questions, Mr Foster said.

He added Mr Mills suffered at least two stab wounds and cuts to his finger.

Chris Baur, defending, suggested Mills was the ‘aggressor on that morning’ but Mills denied he was an aggressive person.

Mr Baur asked if it was true Mr Mills admitted GBH with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2004 – Mr Mills said it was.

Giving evidence, Mills repeatedly said he did not remember the incident. He said: ‘I’ve retracted my statement and I don’t wish to give evidence – I’ve said that from the start.’

He was asked to read from his statement made on the day of the attack.

Rendell denies wounding with intent and an alternative charge of wounding.

(Proceeding)