Alice ‘had throat cut by stalker soldier as she texted new man’
A YOUNG woman was making plans to see a new man when an “utterly obsessed” soldier ex-boyfriend murdered her, a court heard.
Alice Ruggles, 24, was exchanging excited texts with an Army officer in anticipation of spending some “quality time” with him over a weekend together.
But the messages stopped abruptly in mid-conversation after lance corporal Trimaan Dhillon, 26, broke into her flat and attacked her, it was alleged.
Alice had her throat cut from ear to ear when Dhillon hacked at her six times with a kitchen knife in the shower, a jury was told.
Dhillon – known as Harry – is alleged to have driven from his base near Edinburgh to Alice’s flat in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, after becoming besotted with her.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that just before he climbed in Alice’s window he was sitting in his car messaging another girl trying to arrange to meet, saying he would “be done in 20 to 30 minutes”.
Dhillon, a signaller serving with the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, had started a relationship with Alice over the internet while he was in Afghanistan. The relationship ended when Alice found out he had messaged other girls on dating site Tinder.
Dhillon then frightened Alice by travelling from Glencorse Barracks in Penicuik, Midlothian, to her home to knock on her door late at night and leave flowers and chocolates on her bedroom window sill.
He also left a rambling voicemail saying he did not intend to kill her but Alice said her complaints to police were “palmed off”.
Meanwhile she had met Lieutenant Mike James of the Royal Engineers while visiting a mutual friend and was texting him with weekend plans on the day of her death last October 12.
Lieutenant James, who is based in Germany, said in a statement read to court that he was surprised Alice had stopped messaging him in mid-conversation.
The officer also said Alice had confided to him about Dhillon’s behaviour, telling him how the signaller had hacked her Facebook, WhatsApp and email messages and had been driving down from Scotland to stalk her. Dhillon also contacted Lieutenant James by Facebook to claim Alice was “playing” them both and saying: “I feel gutted knowing that she says she loves me but is seeing you too.”
The court heard that even as Dhillon was about to break in and attack Alice, he was messaging unsuspecting Jasmine Danby from Durham trying to fix a rendezvous.
When Jasmine told him she was meeting a friend he replied: “I was kind of getting excited to see you.”
Dhillon denies murder, claiming in a police interview Alice’s death was a mixture of self-defence and an accident. The trial continues.