Alice Ruggles killing: Victim 'felt police would not respond'

Alice Ruggles was found dead at her flat in October

A woman allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend said police would not respond to her fears about him until she had been stabbed, a court has heard.

Alice Ruggles, 24, had told police she felt "terrified" of Trimaan Dhillon days before she was found with her throat cut in her Gateshead flat.

Mr Dhillon, a lance corporal in the Army, denies murder.

Ms Ruggles' sister Emma told Newcastle Crown Court that the 24-year-old felt police would not act.

The sister, who is a British army officer, told Ms Ruggles to contact police amid concerns about Mr Dhillon harassing her, but Ms Ruggles replied she had and they would not respond until he had stabbed her.

The court heard how Mr Dhillon, who was born in India, started an intense relationship over the internet with Ms Ruggles while he was serving in Afghanistan.

She split with him after she found out he had been messaging other women on the dating site Tinder, jurors were told.

Alice Ruggles was found dead at her home in Rawling Road by her flatmate in October

The court has heard he continued to travel to her home late at night to leave flowers and left her a phone message in which he repeatedly said he did not want to kill her.

Ms Ruggles, who grew up in Leicestershire and stayed in Newcastle after studying at Northumbria University, made a police statement on 2 October in which she said he sounded "crazy" on voicemails, and described him as obsessed.

She said: "I am terrified of his actions. I am being stalked and I want it to stop."

She said it was affecting her concentration and work, adding: "I don't feel safe in my own home."

The court has heard Mr Dhillon was a serving soldier with the 2 Scots and lived in barracks outside Edinburgh.

He was given official warnings by police and the Army to stay away from his ex-girlfriend, it was told.

During the relationship Mr Dhillon made Ms Ruggles feel self-conscious and hacked her Facebook account, jurors were told.

Ms Ruggles' mother Susan Hills said Mr Dhillon was polite but "insincere", and after the break-up he sent her a "very creepy" message asking her to help him reunite with her daughter.

The trial continues.