Man stabbed ex-girlfriend's new lover in her bed, court hears

Harrison Tomkins was stabbed to death at an address in Arthur Road, Ifield, Crawley

A "jealous and controlling" man repeatedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend's new lover in her bed, a court heard.

Kaydon Prior, 23, stabbed Harrison Tomkins, 25, after storming into Alicia Parrin's flat on 13 August 2023, Chichester Crown Court heard.

Ms Parrin told the court that Mr Prior had previously told her he would kill her if she was ever with somebody else.

Mr Tomkins was stabbed with a hunting knife in the chest, legs and back, the court heard. Mr Prior denies murder.

In July, Ms Parrin, 20, got her own flat in the Ifield area in a "step towards" breaking up Mr Prior.

The couple had previously been living in Mr Prior's flat in Three Bridges.

On August 11, she told him their relationship was over.

The day after, Ella Stanford, a mutual connection, saw Ms Parrin and Mr Tomkins, at a pub and club in Crawley town centre.

She informed Jason Curtis, a friend of Mr Prior, of this. The pair travelled from London to see Ms Stanford in Three Bridges in the early hours.

Mr Prior and Mr Curtis met her before getting a taxi to Miss Parrin's flat.

Harrison Tomkins was stabbed multiple times at a block of flats in Arthur Road, Ifield, Crawley

Prosecutor Alan Gardner KC said Tomkins had "no chance".

"Kaydon Prior armed himself with a hunting knife and, assisted by his close friend Jason Curtis, burst into Miss Parrin's flat where the defendants knew they would find her and the man she was sleeping with," he said.

"The sudden onslaught was completely unexpected."

Jurors heard Mr Prior dropped the knife in the bedroom and told Mr Curtis to burn his clothes as they escaped the flat at about 05:30 BST.

Mr Prior was later found by officers with a bag of clothes stained with Mr Tomkins' blood.

The prosecution allege Mr Curtis, 22, of Lambeth, south London, "assisted and encouraged" Prior in his "murderous enterprise" including following him into the bedroom where he watched the knife attack.

Mr Curtis is also charged with murder.

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