‘I wanted to move out’

Foster Christian has told the jury that nine months before the night of the alleged double murder he wanted to move out of the shared house because he felt vulnerable.

He contacted the Canterbury Local Link housing association which owned the Dickens Avenue property after a violent incident on July 1, 2015.

In admissions read to the jury at Maidstone Crown Court, prosecutor Ahmed Hossain said an officer for the association witnessed the violence.

She was making a visit there when she heard arguing and then saw “male and female visitors” shouting and swearing.

“The female started hitting Foster across the head and he started to defend himself,” she said.

Another tenant, Simon Gorecki, was angry. The housing officer said they seemed to be under the influence of alcohol.

“Mr Gorecki goaded Foster to hit him, which he did,” the officer continued. “I called the police. Two female and two male visitors left in a white van. There were threats from the visitors to come back.”

Mr Hossain said a police officer attended and saw that Christian had lost two teeth from an assault on him by the female visitor.

Six days later Christian wrote to the housing association saying he felt vulnerable and insecure, adding: “I can’t stay here any longer for my own wellbeing.”