Accused discussed methods of killing Emily

The neighbour of a young man accused of strangling his New Zealand girlfriend was warned on the night she died that he might murder her, a British court heard yesterday.

Wealthy British jeweller's son Elliot Turner, 20, allegedly killed aspiring model Emily Longley, 17, at his parents' home before they helped him to cover up the murder.

Emily, a student from Auckland, was found dead in Turner's bed at the house in Bournemouth, Dorset.

Jurors in Winchester Crown Court have been told Turner was jealous and possessive and that he "flipped out" and killed student Emily during a drunken argument.

Yesterday, Turner's neighbour Harry Hawkins, 18, told the court that in the early hours of May 7 last year he saw a row between Turner and Emily outside Turner's house.

'MAYBE HE IS JUST GOING TO HIT HER OR HURT HER'

Turner's friend Tom Crowe was also present and after Turner and Emily went into the house, Crowe came over to speak to him.

"He told me that what was going to happen tonight I must not repeat in the morning.

"Tom Crowe said that Elliot was going to kill her. He said it in a very serious tone.

"I said, 'I'm sure he is not going to kill her.'

"He said, 'Well, maybe he is just going to hit her or hurt her'."

Mr Hawkins later described Turner to the court as "a cocky person who brags a lot and acts like a tough guy".

Earlier, Mr Crowe, 18, told the court that in the hours before Emily's death, Turner had taken her phone off her and was reading her texts, swearing repeatedly.

He told the court that Turner and Emily had fought outside Turner's house on the night she died, May 7.

Mr Crowe said Emily told Turner, "I hate you", and tried to lock him out of his home before he got inside and shut the door.

He said he was "shocked and scared" by what happened.

"I felt confused, I felt relieved to get away. I felt scared for Emily. I didn't know what to do," Mr Crowe said.

METHODS OF KILLING EMILY DISCUSSED

He told the court that Turner had repeatedly spoken of methods of killing Emily before her death.

These included drowning her in a bath, dousing her with petrol and setting her on fire or forcing her to take a drug overdose.

He also talked about strangulation.

The court heard that on the night of Emily's death, Turner had called her 'a whore' and punched her in front of friends.

Oliver George, 18, who was out with them that night, told the jury: "I picked Elliot and Emily up in my car along with two other friends before heading for a night out.

"In the car Elliot told Emily she did not like the way she was dressed.

"He told her she looked like a whore and she was dressed like that to attract boys.

"Emily told Elliot to 'fuck off' and said she could wear what she wanted.

"Later on Elliot told me that Emily was 'going down tonight'."

The group went to the Cafe Shore restaurant and bar in the exclusive Sandbanks area of Poole, Dorset.

Mr George said that when they got there the atmosphere was 'awkward'.

After a while he went out for a cigarette and was later joined by Turner who said Emily had just thrown two drinks in his face.

Mr George said: "By this time Emily and her friend Jasmin Snook had gone to another bar.

"When I texted Jasmin to ask what had happened she replied 'Elliot was having a hissy fit, he punched and squeezed Emily and was calling her names.'

"When I spoke to Elliot again he told me 'she has ruined my life and twisted my heart, she is a fucking bitch'."

The trial continues.