Bookkeeper accused of strangling woman to death ‘previously throttled a teenager and tried to forcibly kiss her’
India Chipchase, 20, was found dead Edward Tenniwsood in January
A BOOKKEEPER who strangled student India Chipchase to death had previously throttled a teenage girl and tried to forcibly kiss her, a court heard.
The 20-year-old's body was discovered at Edward Tenniwsood's flat 36 hours after she met him outside a nightclub in the early hours of January 30.
The 52-year-old has gone on trial at Birmingham Crown Court accused of raping and murdering the barmaid.
He promised "don't worry, I'll get you home safe" after seeing her outside NBs cocktail bar in Northampton before he lured her back to his home and killed her, jurors heard.
On the fifth day of the trial today the jury was told Tenniswood once invited his neighbour to the pub then bragged "I've been trained to kill with my bare hands."
A woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also told the jury Tenniswood had throttled her after an argument when she was a teenager.
Giving evidence via video link, she said she was attacked by Tenniswood when she knew him by a different name.
She added: "I asked him if he could burn some music on a CD for me, and he said he would do it later.
"I asked him a few more times. It made him quite angry that I kept asking.
"Then the last time I asked he just ran at me and pushed me up against the wall in the kitchen and then he had his hands around my throat.
"He was holding really tightly and then he tried to kiss me on my mouth. [He held me] probably for about 20 seconds.
"I tried to push him off but he wouldn't let go. Then eventually he did and he said he was sorry, and I got upset and I went upstairs."
The court heard Tenniswood had also placed his hands around the neck of neighbour Douglas Killeya and told him he had been in the army and had PTSD.
He ran at me and pushed me up against the wall in the kitchen and then he had his hands around my throat.
Neighbour
In a statement read by prosecutor Chris Donnellan QC, Mr Killeya, said he believed Tenniswood lived alone at the flat for a number of years.
He added: "The curtains are always drawn and the only light that's ever on is one in the upstairs room at the front of the house, that I believe is a bedroom.
"The first time I saw him he had a hammer in his hand, hammering a water valve near his front door and he identified himself as Edward.
related stories
"After that I saw him on October 15, 2015. I saw him coming out of Neros coffee shop. He said he wanted me to meet his aunt who was inside.
"She was sat down looking quite stone and serious. He appeared a bit over friendly to me, as I had only spoken to him once before.
Suddenly he put his hands out in front of me. He put his hands around my neck as if he was going to strangle me.
Douglas Killeya
"The next meeting happened on June 25 last year. At sometime, around midday or early afternoon I was at home and there was a knock at the front door.
"I went to open the front door and saw Edward standing at the door and he asked me if I wanted to go to town for a drink. I said no.
"He carried on talking to me and my assessment was he was already drunk.
"He told me he had PTSD as a result of his time in the army serving in Afghanistan.
"I felt as if he was latching onto me as someone who could help, and didn't know whether he knew that I was a counsellor.
"I told him he shouldn't discuss this while he is drunk.
"At number 10 or 12 there were some workmen putting in new windows and making some noise.
"He got agitated and was jumping about and shouting at the workmen. I said it was an appropriate level of noise for the work they were doing.
"He became quite over the top, saying I was wonderful, that I had a wonderful family and how lucky I was.
"He started calling out my wife's name, calling out that she was a wonderful mother.
"He was quite insistent that he should come into my house. I had to gently push him away when he tried to enter.
"He kept cupping my face with his hands. I think this was while he was calling me wonderful.
"I had to be quite insistent to ask him to stop.
"Suddenly he put his hands out in front of me. He put his hands around my neck as if he was going to strangle me, but didn't apply any pressure.
"His hands stayed there for about 10 seconds.
"He said he had been in the army and had been trained to kill people with his bare hands."
The trial continues.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team?
Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368