SHE SAID: IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?
Murder trial jury hear of Alice’s last moments as described by her alleged murderer
MURDER accused Trimaan Dhillon told a court his ex-girlfriend ended up with a knife stuck in her throat accidentally as she went for him with the weapon.
Dhillon claimed Alice Ruggles pulled a blade on him after he turned up at her home to collect some belongings after they split.
He claimed he put her in a tight headlock to restrain her and said Alice ended up losing consciousness.
The 26-year-old Lance Corporal, who has served with the Royal Guard, said when she came round he told her he was going to meet another woman and she became “infuriated” and grabbed the knife again.
He told jurors as they came together in her bathroom, Alice, 24, lost her balance and the knife went into her neck and got stuck.
Dhillon, known as Harry, said he panicked afterwards, did not ring 999 and instead fled, thinking about driving off a hill.
Prosecutors allege he had in fact slashed Alice’s throat around six times, which he denies.
Giving evidence at his trial at Newcastle Crown Court, the soldier, wearing a dark suit, light shirt and blue striped tie, said he decided to go to Alice’s flat in Bensham, Gateshead, on October 12 last year unannounced to collect some clothes and to speak to her.
The court has heard he had already been warned to stay away from Alice after she complained about him harassing her.
He climbed over a wall into her back yard and said he could see her sitting on a sofa in her living room.
Dhillon claimed Alice came to the back door and told him she was communicating with a potential new boyfriend and asked how it made him feel.
He said he tried to hug her but she slapped him and grabbed him and threatened to dial 999.
He then left but realised he had not got his belongings so went back and climbed over the wall again and told Alice: “Either get my stuff or I’m going to come and take it.”
He said he climbed through a bedroom window and after getting inside the flat Alice produced a knife.
“I said ‘what the **** you doing with a knife, put the knife down,’” he told jurors.
“She was moving towards me. She didn’t say anything.
“I moved forward and grabbed her right wrist with my left hand.
“I pulled her forward and got her in a headlock.”
Dhillon said he thought about putting her in the bedroom but then decided to take her to the bathroom. He said Alice was struggling and scratched his face and grabbed at his groin area. He claimed she was trying to move the knife from her right hand to her left hand. He said: “She was kicking and trying to move all over the place which I think was her attempt to try to get out of it. “The grip round her neck was quite tight. “My aim was to push her in the bathroom, shut the door then run straight out.” Dhillon continued: “I tightened my grip to make her let go of the knife. “I said ‘If you let go of the knife I will let go of your neck.’ “She did let go of the knife but not because she was uncomfortable. “I found out later it was because she was unconscious. That’s why she let go of the knife. “She let go of the knife, I pushed it back, I let go of her and she collapsed on the ground.” He said he tried to move Alice and she was bleeding from her nose. After Alice regained consciousness, Dhillon said as they sat in the bathroom she asked: “Is this really happening?”
He told the jury: “My reply was ‘I don’t know, please don’t speak.’”
Dhillon said Alice couldn’t believe he had just travelled down for his clothes.
“I said it was not just because of that, I was going to meet someone as well because you are seeing someone else,” he said.
“She looked back saying ‘what do you mean.’ I said I was going to meet someone in Durham.
“That absolutely infuriated her and led her to pick up the knife again with her right hand.”
He claimed they started grappling as he tried to disarm her, and the “knife entered from the right side to the left side”.
He added: “I remember saying ‘Alice.’ She fell on her right side.
“I moved behind her and grabbed her jumper from the back and tried to lift her up. I’m 100% sure the knife was stuck.”
Dhillon said he didn’t call the emergency services because he panicked, didn’t know what to do and decided to flee.
He said he contemplated stabbing himself and then driving off a hill on the way back to Scotland.
Dhillon, of Glencorse Barracks, in Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland, will continue giving evidence today.
He denies murder and the trial continues.
I said ‘what the **** you doing with a knife, put the knife down’ Murder accused Trimaan Dhillon