A MURDER trial jury has heard the last formal statement from the alleged victim, which she made 18 days before her death.

Tiffany Render, 34, made the statement after 50-year-old Paul Irwin was arrested on suspicion of harassing her on March 4. She had accused him of threatening her and calling her 38 times in 24 hours.

Irwin, of George Street, Whitehaven, denies murder and a sexual offence. Carlisle Crown Court has heard that he claims her death in his flat on March 22 from "massive" blood loss was the result of consensual sexual activity that “went wrong.”

In her statement of March 4, Miss Render told police Irwin was released from custody on February 26 with a bail condition not to contact her, or to go to the George Street flat.

They had both been living there.

Despite the bail conditions, said Miss Render, Irwin continued to call her and to threaten her. “Paul has also been threatening to send several friends round to the flat on George Street and I have to watch myself,” she said.

“He’s already sent one friend round to attempt to remove me.”

It happened on the previous Sunday morning and ended with a verbal argument as the defendant’s friend tried to “bully her” into moving out, she said

At 1pm on the Monday, she said, he called her and threatened to come to the flat to “kick the ** out of her,” she told police. “He said If [he] couldn’t have the flat, he will burn it to the ground. If he can’t have the flat, nobody can.”

Miss Render continued: “This incident has made me feel absolutely terrified to leave the flat or even to have my windows open. I can’t sleep or eat because I am worried about what can happen.”

She was thinking of having an arson-proof letter box fitted. She was afraid that he would turn up or send one of his friends.

In his police interview, Irwin said Miss Render was his partner, but then corrected himself to say she was his ex-partner. Asked about his phone calls to her, he said: “I just wanted my flat back.

He said he had the tenancy but the police would not remove Miss Render because she had nowhere to go and the landlord, Home Group, would not put her out of the flat either. “I’m pushed from pillar to post,” he said.

Irwin denied that he had sent somebody to the flat to get her to leave. “Do you believe your behaviour was threatening?” asked a police officer.

“I was all right,” said Irwin. Asked if he felt his behaviour was justified, he replied: “I do, yes. She was texting my friends for my number.” He accepted telling a police officer to get her out of the flat or he would “get her out” himself.

“Because nobody else would,” he added.

The trial continues.