Ryde murder: Police missed victim's body after 'savage' attack, jury told

Mr Cooper, who was from Newport, was found dead at a flat in Ryde on 4 January

A man stabbed his friend to death and police who searched his flat missed finding the victim's body, a jury was told.

Scott Cooper, 33, died in a flat in Ryde, Isle of Wight, after a "savage" knife attack on 3 or 4 January.

Isle of Wight Crown Court heard he was killed in a bedroom before his body was dragged and left in a shower.

Piers Brazier, 38, of George Street, Ryde, denies murdering Mr Cooper in his ground floor flat.

CCTV footage showed Mr Cooper, who was a user of class A drugs, entering various flats on George Street late on 3 January and kicking, knocking or trying to force open doors.

He was met by Mr Brazier at about 23:00 GMT and they both went into Mr Brazier's flat.

Prosecutor Adam Feest QC said Mr Brazier was the only person who had the chance to inflict the "savage, determined and sustained" injuries to Mr Cooper's neck, head and body.

Mr Feest said Mr Brazier asked an ex-girlfriend to his flat after the attack so he could see her "one last time".

She saw Mr Cooper's body lying in Mr Brazier's bedroom and assumed it was a joke before she saw a large pool of blood, Mr Feest said.

She alerted her boyfriend by text message, who called police on her behalf. Officers arrived at about 02:45, after the woman had left.

Police were called to the flat in George Street twice on 4 January

They believed they had been called to a domestic dispute and searched Mr Brazier's untidy flat. Unable to find a woman, they left shortly after.

One officer apologised for disturbing Mr Brazier and in an "off-hand comment" said they had to make sure "no-one was lying on the floor in a pool of blood", Mr Feest said.

They failed to spot Mr Cooper's body, which had been dragged into the shower, or heavy blood stains on the carpet in Mr Brazier's bedroom.

Mr Brazier's ex-girlfriend continually phoned police throughout 4 January and made it "abundantly clear" officers had to attend the property, the jury was told.

Other CCTV footage showed Mr Brazier riding an electric scooter around Ryde and shopping in a convenience store for groceries at about 05:00.

Mr Feest said police attended "for the final time" at about 12:50 and Mr Brazier was arrested that afternoon.

Hampshire Constabulary said in January that it had referred itself to police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, due to "the circumstances surrounding our response to this incident".

The trial, which is expected to finish at the end of July, continues.