Student 'killed germophobic woman in self-defence'

Joshua Michals, 25, is accused of murdering Zhe Wang, 31, in south-east London

An American student accused of fatally stabbing a woman has told jurors she attacked him after she became "stressed" she might have caught a sexually transmitted disease.

Joshua Michals, 25, of Deptford, denies murdering fellow Goldsmiths student 31-year-old Zhe Wang at her flat in Lewisham, south-east London.

The Old Bailey heard Mr Michals put his hands around Ms Wang's neck and stabbed her twice in the face to stop her from attacking him in March 2024.

Mr Michals insisted he did not mean to cause her harm, but he felt he had no choice as he thought "she would have tried to kill" him.

'A germophobe'

Mr Michals said he met "warm, bubbly" creative writing student Ms Wang when he enrolled at Goldsmiths and went to pick up his student identification.

He said they got on well and exchanged numbers.

They began to text each other and went on to "hang out" nine or 10 times in the months before her death, the court heard.

Mr Michals said they did not introduce each other to any of their friends because Ms Wang wanted to keep the relationship between them.

He said Ms Wang appeared to be looking for a life partner with a "spiritual resonance", but Mr Michals told jurors he had wanted to keep it casual.

He said when they met up in October and November 2023, they engaged in "kissing and cuddling" and before taking things further Ms Wang asked to see test results confirming Mr Michals did not have a sexually transmitted disease.

'So-so about relationship'

Mr Michals told the court that Ms Wang was "a germophobe" and insisted on cleaning his couch before she would sit on it.

"She sprayed the couch, the bathroom, started wiping down the surfaces, the counter tops, bathroom, sink, anything she thought she might touch."

He thought it was "a little bizarre" but he did not want to make a "big thing of it", he said.

The trial was told Ms Wang continued to text Mr Michals but he did not consider them to be in a relationship.

He said he also engaged in "casual" sex with a course mate after a Christmas party.

Mr Michals said he was feeling "so-so" about pursuing the relationship, telling jurors they "got along really well, and the conversation was really fun".

But he added that the "germophobia was a bit much at times. I didn't quite understand it. It was just bizarre."

He said that her cleaning seemed "excessive" and the phobia appeared to get "much worse".

After meeting up on 4 November 2023, they did not see each other again until 23 February 2024 - when they first had sex.

In the days that followed, Ms Wang became "stressed" over "a dot" of dry skin amid fear that she had contracted a "life threatening" sexually transmitted disease, the court was told.

The defendant told jurors he "did not understand what the big deal was", but tried to reassure her and be supportive.

Jurors heard Ms Wang sent messages about being suicidal.

Mr Michals said: "We did discuss things. We were sitting at her living room table, she is talking about killing herself.

"She was saying if it was a disease she can't deal with it and it would be easier to kill herself.

"I just went over to her I gave her a hug and tried to calm things down."

Mr Michals said Ms Wang's mental state was "deteriorating" and he was concerned herbal remedies would make her skin worse.

He told jurors: "It is concerning someone talking about ending it all. A little dot of dry skin. I still don't get it."

The trial continues.