Soldier: ‘I didn’t stalk my ex-lover’

But behaviour was obsessive, he tells murder trial

A SOLDIER accused of breaking into his former girlfriend’s flat and cutting her throat has denied stalking her.

Lance Corporal Trimaan Dhillon, 26, denies murdering Alice Ruggles and leaving her to bleed to death in her Gateshead flat last October.

The signaller with the Royal Highland Fusiliers (2 Scots) told Newcastle Crown Court he loved the 24-year-old, saying they shared a sense of fun, she made him feel special and he liked how she looked.

India-born Dhillon said: ‘We used to share the craziest sense of humour together and I knew everything about her – all her friends, what she liked to eat, what she liked to drink, what make-up brand she loved, what clothes she loved. That’s not because I stalked her, that’s because I used to care and listen.’

Richard Wright, QC, prosecuting, listed the numerous attempts Dhillon made to contact his ex in the weeks before she died, including three 240-mile round trips from Glencorse Barracks in Penicuik, Midlothian, ‘to hang around her house at night’. Dhillon admitted it was ‘not a nice thing to do’.

Mr Wright said: ‘Hanging around in the dark, scaring the woman you tell the jury you loved?’

Dhillon said: ‘I have no justification.’ He agreed with Mr Wright that it was obsessive behaviour.

Mr Wright inquired as to why he asked a woman on Tinder whether he was better looking than a man he heard Miss Ruggles was thinking of dating.

Dhillon replied: ‘It’s not the best behaviour, I will accept.’

Mr Wright asked: ‘Is it the sort of thing a stalker might do?’ He replied: ‘I never at any point considered myself to be stalking her.’

Mr Wright said: ‘You plagued the last few weeks of this poor girl’s life and made it miserable.’

Dhillon replied: ‘I’m not going to say my actions were right.’

Dhillon claims Miss Ruggles died when she lunged at him with a carving knife, which ended up in her neck. The prosecution says she had six or more neck slashes.

Mr Wright said: ‘I’m going to be suggesting to this jury that you are a liar.’ Dhillon replied: ‘Yes, I have lied in the past, yes.’

Mr Wright said: ‘I’m going to suggest you set out to manipulate and control Alice during your relationship.’ The accused replied: ‘I don’t accept that.’

Mr Wright said: ‘I’m going to suggest you were utterly and dangerously obsessed with Alice. Do you accept that?’ Dhillon said: ‘No, I don’t.’ Mr Wright said: ‘I’m going to suggest when you realised she did not want to be with you and she found a far better man, you reached boiling point. Do you accept that?’ Dhillon said: ‘No, I don’t.’

Mr Wright said: ‘I’m going to suggest your version is a lying account because you are trying to get away with the fact you murdered her. Do you accept that?’ Dhillon replied: ‘No, I don’t.’ The exchange ended with Mr Wright asking: ‘I’m going to suggest you had a knife and killed her in a jealous temper. Do you accept that?’ Dhillon said: ‘No, I don’t.’

The case continues.