Man ‘obsessed’ with ‘good friend’, stabbed her 10 times after a Tinder date with love rival
Man, 48, who was ‘obsessed’ with his ‘good friend’, 36, stabbed her 10 times while she was at her home with a man she met on Tinder, court hears
Emma Wolfenden, 36, was stabbed 10 times after Tinder date by close friendRobert Truscott, 48, was allegedly ‘obsessed’ with Ms Wolfenden, court hears He was ‘angry’ when told man she met on Tinder would her be visiting her home Judge has begun summing up evidence and jury is expected to consider verdicts
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A man who became jealous about his close friend going on a date with a man she had met on Tinder stabbed her 10 times, a court has heard.
Robert Truscott, 48, of Langham, Rutland, was allegedly ‘obsessed’ with Emma Wolfenden, then 36, but she was not interested in forming a relationship with him.
He became ‘angry and jealous’ when she told him a man she met on the dating app Tinder would be visiting her home in Oakham, prosecutor Andrew Peet claimed.
Leicester Crown Court heard that Truscott armed himself with a 10-inch kitchen knife and cycled to her house and wounded both of them.
Miss Wolfenden, suffered life-threatening injuries including a wound to her neck which pierced the jugular vein, six chest wounds, lacerating her liver, lung and diaphragm and three stabs to her abdomen.
She underwent four operations and was in hospital for several weeks, while her date suffered a cut left palm while disarming Truscott, during a struggle in the initial stages of the incident, it was claimed.
Truscott denies attempting to murder Miss Wolfenden on the night of Thursday January 21 last year and an alternative count of wounding her with intent.
Robert Truscott, 48, of Langham, Rutland, was allegedly ‘obsessed’ with Emma Wolfenden (Pictured), then 36, but she was not interested in forming a relationship with him
He has admitted a less serious charge of unlawfully wounding her, which was not accepted by the prosecution.
Truscott denies wounding with intent and an alternative unlawful wounding charge, relating to the 26-year-old Tinder date.
The defendant has pleaded guilty to possessing a knife at the scene, the jury was told.
The court heard that Miss Wolfenden subsequently died on June 23 last year, aged 37, due to unrelated circumstances and the cause of death could not be connected to the alleged incident with Truscott.
Mr Peet said that Miss Wolfenden had been drinking heavily on the night of the alleged attempted murder.
He told the jury: ‘This was a determined attack upon someone who was in no fit state to defend herself.’
The prosecutor read a statement from Miss Wolfenden’s sister, Laura, who claimed that Truscott was ‘obsessed’ with Emma.
The court heard that Miss Wolfenden – who was a carer for disadvantaged children and worked with people battling substance abuse – had been a close friend of the defendant for about four years and they would drink regularly at her home.
However, she was not interested in forming a relationship with him. The court heard that on the evening of the Tinder date, she ignored Truscott’s numerous calls and messages.
The defendant allegedly became ‘incensed’ and took a kitchen knife from his home to confront the couple at the alleged victim’s house and walked in uninvited about 9pm.
The Tinder date disarmed Truscott and hit him over the head with a bottle of rum, causing superficial cuts, Mr Peet said.
Miss Wolfenden’s 999 call for help was played in court and she was heard saying that one person had attacked another and blood was on the floor.
The Tinder date left the house prior to the defendant repeatedly stabbing Miss Wolfenden, it was claimed.
Truscott then called 999 and admitted causing her injuries, saying: ‘I stabbed her, it’s my fault. I’m sorry. There was someone else here.’
He was tending to her injuries when the emergency services arrived and was arrested at the scene.
When he gave evidence in his defence, Truscott told the jury he was ‘a caring friend’ of Miss Wolfenden’s and denied being obsessed with her.
He said he had been drinking and was ‘tipsy’ before going to to her home in Bullfinch Close ‘to see what was really going on.’
Leicester Crown Court (pictured) heard that Truscott armed himself with a 10-inch kitchen knife and cycled to her house and wounded both of them
He added: ‘I got the knife out of stupidity’, adding that he intended using the weapon to scare the other man and did not plan on harming anyone.
He repeatedly told the jury: ‘I weren’t thinking straight on that night.’
During cross-examination, Mr Peet asked how the other man’s hand became injured.
Truscott said: ‘In the struggle, he grabbed the blade.’
Mr Peet said: ‘The fight started with him when you walked in. He was defending himself and managed to get the knife off you and kicked it away. Do you remember that?’
‘No,’ said Truscott, who also claimed not to remember stabbing Miss Wolfenden 10 times after the Tinder date had gone.
Mr Peet said: ‘Why did you stab her?’ Truscott said: ‘I can’t remember.’
Mr Peet said: ‘Why did you keep stabbing her?’ He replied: ‘I can’t remember.’
Truscott denied intending that Miss Wolfenden should die.
Mr Peet asked: ‘Why did you phone the police?’
The defendant said: ‘To get her medical attention.’
Mr Peet said: ‘You thought, if I can’t have her no one can, do you agree with that.’
‘No’ said Truscott.
The judge has begun summing up the evidence in the case, after which the jury is expected to consider the verdicts.
Her brother Charles set up a JustGiving page to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society – a cause close to Emma’s heart after her mum passed away from the disease at age 61.
You can donate here.
