Sightings reported of woman 'after her murder'

Jurors have been shown footage of Andrew Hall after his arrest

Several alleged sightings of a woman were reported after she had supposedly been killed, a court has heard.

Prosecutors claim Glenna Siviter, 50, was killed at her home in Middlesbrough in the early hours of 11 December, with her body found hidden beneath a sofa four days later.

Newcastle Crown Court heard five people claimed to have seen Ms Siviter out and about after the date given for her death, but she was not captured on any CCTV cameras.

Andrew Hall, 46, of Thorntree Avenue in Middlesbrough, denies murder.

Glenna Siviter was killed at her home in Middlesbrough in December

The court has heard Ms Siviter was stabbed 36 times and her jewellery had been stolen.

Prosecutor Peter Moulson KC told jurors it was believed she was killed at her home in Grimwood Avenue sometime between 03:00 GMT and 13:20 on 11 December.

He told the court police spoke to a number of people in the area after her body was discovered on 15 December, several of whom reported seeing her after she is thought to have been fatally attacked.

They included:

• A woman who was standing at a bedroom window and claimed to have seen Ms Siviter walking along Marshall Avenue after 21:00 on 11 December

• A man whose partner was a friend of Ms Siviter's who said the victim visited their house on the evening of 11 December and claimed he also saw her on the afternoon of 12 December talking to someone in a car near her home

• A woman who said Ms Siviter visited her at about 21:00 on 11 December

• A worker at the Farmhouse Kitchen sandwich shop, where Ms Siviter was a regular, who said the victim went in at lunchtime on 14 December and ordered her usual sausage sandwich, cakes and coffee

Det Con Darren Lee of Cleveland Police said he viewed footage from a Middlesbrough Council-controlled security camera that covered the area.

It did not capture images of Ms Siviter at the times claimed, or anyone who looked like her.

'Can't see off camera'

Under cross-examination from Mr Hall's barrister, Nicholas Lumley KC, Mr Lee said the camera was permanently roaming 180 degrees from one end of the Marshall Avenue shops to the other, only capturing a part of the scene at a time.

"You've not found any positive evidence of these sightings [of Ms Siviter]," Mr Lumley said, adding: "But equally you cant say any of them are wrong?"

Mr Lee replied: "It's a patrolling camera, I cant say what's happening off camera."

Mr Lumley also said there was a second worker at the sandwich shop who claimed Ms Siviter went in for her lunch on 13 December, but Mr Lee said that while he was not made aware of it, other officers had also been reviewing footage.

Mr Hall also denies the attempted murder of two men he had taken crack cocaine with in the days between Ms Siviter's killing and discovery of her body.

The trial continues.