THE SISTER of an Odiham chef has told a jury of her relationship with his alleged murderer.

Michelle Stangroom broke up with Andrew Morris six weeks before he killed her brother Henry Stangroom, in the flat the two men shared in Battersea, London.

Sarah Plaschkes, prosecuting, told the jury at the Old Bailey that Morris killed Mr Stangroom, 21, on October 17 last year “as a way of taking revenge on her for the hurt and distress that she had caused him”.

Giving evidence today, Miss Stangroom told the jury that Morris had been abusive towards her, and had often broken items that were of sentimental value to her after the couple argued.

They broke up after he turned violent during an argument at the Battersea flat on August 28 last year, she said.

The jury heard Morris threw Miss Stangroom’s cup of tea and breakfast against a kitchen wall because she had not made him anything.

She said: “He then went into the lounge and closed the curtains and I followed him in there and asked what was wrong.

“He threw me across the room and I hit my head and my neck on the sofa and on the wall. He pinned me down, put his hands across my nose and mouth and glared at me.”

She said she wriggled free and told him their relationship was over, after which he took her bank card and a kitchen knife and drove away from the house.

He later tried to kill himself by cutting his wrists, the jury heard.

The court also heard that last year Morris was signed off from his job as an actuary after he was diagnosed with depression and anxiety by his GP.

At the start of October last year, his firm, Lane, Clark and Peacock, started disciplinary action against Morris when he failed to turn up for work, after his GP noticed an improvement in his condition.

Morris, 30, of Lavender Sweep, Battersea, denies one count of murder, but is expected to argue he killed Mr Stangroom in self-defence.

The trial continues.