Young mum 'beaten up' hours before death, jury told

Stephanie Marie, 19, was allegedly involved in a fight hours before she was found stabbed to death

A man has told a jury how he took a young mother to hospital after she was involved in a fight hours before she was found stabbed to death.

Michael Siatous said he took 19-year-old Stephanie Marie to Crawley Hospital in the early hours of 18 August 2024 after she was "beaten up" at a gathering in a disused car park.

Ms Marie was found in a car park near Crawley railway station later that morning with stab wounds following another alleged attack at around 07:10 BST.

Her partner Jason Flore, 26, denies murder in a trial at Hove Crown Court.

Jason Flore is accused of murdering Ms Marie

Giving evidence today, Mr Siatous, a delivery driver originally from Mauritius, said he and a group of six other people, including Ms Marie, gathered at around 17:00 on 17 August for a barbecue.

Speaking through an interpreter, he told the court that "a lot" of alcohol was consumed and a fight broke out around midnight, when Ms Marie was "beaten up".

Ms Marie reportedly suffered an injury to her forehead which involved "lots of blood", the court heard.

CCTV images show Mr Siatous's delivery van arriving at Crawley Hospital at around 01:00 on 18 August but, after finding it closed, Mr Siatous told the court he drove Ms Marie back to the car park and advised her to get her wound checked the next day.

Mr Siatous later said under cross-examination that Mr Flore was not present during this altercation.

Mr Flore had previously been accused of telling a "tissue of lies" as prosecutors argued that he stabbed Ms Marie following an argument.

Mr Flore denies being present at the time of the killing and accused two other people of the murder.

The trial continues.