Neighbour tells jurors murder accused seemed to be living 'in her own little world'

Neighbour Kelly Boswell went to comfort Nicola Coleman after seeing 44-year-old Mark Cannon lying on the pavement covered in blood, Stafford Crown Court heard.

Ms Boswell said she heard her daughter shouting outside their home in Burwaye Close, Lichfield, that a man was bleeding and went down to get her daughter out of harm's way when she saw Coleman standing at the window of her flat.

She had a towel wrapped around her hand covering a deep cut.

Giving evidence, Ms Boswell said: "She was shaking and scared.

"She showed me the cut she had on her hand, it was from the top of the thumb down to the palm. It was very deep. She said that she tried to get the knife off him - something like that."

She took Coleman back to the defendant's flat.

She said: "There was spots of blood in there, over the walls."

The court heard that Coleman told her the knife had come from the kitchen, but did not say what had led up to the whole incident.

Under cross examination from Mr John Butterfield QC, defending, Ms Boswell agreed that Coleman was extremely upset and was crying hard.

She also agreed that she had formed the view that Coleman was suffering from mental health problems even before this incident.

Mr Butterfield asked her: "It seems she was in her own little world, spaced out."

Ms Boswell replied: "Yes."

Another neighbour, James Lawrence, told the jury that he phoned for the police and an ambulance when he saw Mr Cannon stagger in to the street, covered in blood and holding a knife.

He said he staggered until he reached the dustbins, put the knife in a bin and then slumped on the floor.

When Mr Lawrence went outside, Coleman was sitting on the steps.

He told the jury she was saying 'keep him away from me' and was distressed and crying.

Coleman, aged 42, formerly of Burwaye Close, Lichfield, denies murdering Mr Cannon on September 29, 2008 after their stormy relationship had broken up.

The trial continues.