Best efforts of medics failed to revive woman

TRIAL: Former boyfriend is accused of strangling and stabbing Neomi to death

A paramedic was unable to count all the wounds on Neomi Smith, a murder trial has heard.

Keith Rizzo is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend by repeatedly hitting her on the head and body with knives in her Brechin flat on June 9.

Angela McKenzie said she entered Ms Smith’s kitchen at around 1.40am and saw one police officer performing CPR and the other holding a towel to her neck.

Ms McKenzie, a paramedic with 14 years’ experience, said: “It was like something out of a horror movie. It was really brutal.

“One of the police officers said there was a wound to her neck and that was where the blood was coming from.

“Her face was bruised and her eyes were so swollen.”

On the fourth day of the trial at Glasgow High Court, Ms McKenzie said: “There was no electrical activity in the heart at this time.”

She added: “I moved her hair out of the way and, this might sound stupid, but it was like Leerdammer cheese. It was like all holes at the back of her neck.

“We gave up counting how many wounds there were at this point.”

She added that despite the best efforts of two paramedic teams, Ms Smith could not be revived and was pronounced dead at 2.09am.

The trial also heard that Rizzo told his friend that he had “put his hands on her” just weeks before her death.

Ryan MacDonald, 21, said he picked Rizzo up from Ms Smith’s flat and dropped him off at his grandfather’s house at around 3am on May 30, after his friend had called him.

The jury was shown text messages sent between the pair around half an hour later in which Rizzo said he thought he and Ms Smith would break up after an incident that morning.

The text, sent by Rizzo, said: “I was stupid enough to put my own hands on her tonight Ryan”, followed by an “embarrassed” emoji.

He added: “Know how much of a selfish cowardly piece of **** I feel right now. She genuinely was my world. I will never have her back.

“I couldn’t be more grateful I got to meet her and be with her.”

Mr MacDonald replied: “You cannae go and put your hands on a lass.

“You will scare her more than anything else and you will feel **** after it.

“You’re meant to live (sic) the person.” Rizzo later text his friend: “We’re back together – just”.

The full charge states Rizzo attacked Ms Smith, compressing her neck thereby restricting her breathing.

It is alleged he repeatedly struck the care worker on the head and body with knives.

He is further accused of assaulting Miss Smith to her injury and danger of life between May 5 and June 8 2019.

Rizzo is also accused of assaulting three former partners and threatening another sometime between December 2014 and May 2019

He denies all charges.

The trial before Lady Rae continues.

Police and paramedics were unable to save Neomi Smith’s life.