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| Nikitta Grender murder: Victim died fortnight before child due | Nikitta Grender murder: Victim died fortnight before child due |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A man raped and stabbed a teenager two weeks before she was due to give birth to her child, a murder trial has heard. | A man raped and stabbed a teenager two weeks before she was due to give birth to her child, a murder trial has heard. |
| Nikitta Grender, 19, was found dead in her burning flat in Liswerry, Newport, in February 2011. | Nikitta Grender, 19, was found dead in her burning flat in Liswerry, Newport, in February 2011. |
| Newport Crown Court heard she suffered a stomach wound which penetrated her unborn baby, a girl she had already named Kelsey-May. | Newport Crown Court heard she suffered a stomach wound which penetrated her unborn baby, a girl she had already named Kelsey-May. |
| Carl Whant, 27, of Bettws, near Newport, denies murder, child destruction, rape and arson. | |
| Opening the case for the prosecution, Greg Taylor QC told the jury that Ms Grender was living with Mr Whant's second cousin, Ryan Mayes, 18, the father of the child. | |
| She had been in an on-off relationship with Mr Mayes for four years. | |
| Mr Taylor said: "They moved into a new flat the previous September - Nikitta's mother lived around the corner to help her out. | |
| "Nikitta visited the midwife regularly with Ryan and they were both looking forward to the birth of their child. | |
| "They had decorated one room in the flat and had bought a cot and pram - they were well prepared." | |
| The court heard that on the night of 4 February 2011 Mr Mayes went to a pub to watch a rugby match on TV with Mr Whant, a nightclub doorman, and other friends, later ending up at a house party. | |
| But while he was out, Nikitta and their unborn baby were killed. | |
| 'Forensic evidence' | |
| Ms Grender detested Mr Whant so much she avoided speaking to him when they were together, the jury was told. | |
| Mr Taylor said that Mr Whant "raped her, he murdered her and destroyed her unborn child". | |
| He said forensic evidence showed Mr Whant had had sex with Ms Grender. | He said forensic evidence showed Mr Whant had had sex with Ms Grender. |
| ''There was no question that this was consensual sex," said Mr Taylor. "It was common knowledge that she disliked him. | ''There was no question that this was consensual sex," said Mr Taylor. "It was common knowledge that she disliked him. |
| "She knew (Mr Whant) was a self-confessed cocaine user and a bad influence on her boyfriend (Mr Mayes)." | "She knew (Mr Whant) was a self-confessed cocaine user and a bad influence on her boyfriend (Mr Mayes)." |
| The prosecution said there was no doubt that Ms Grender had been killed before the fire started. | The prosecution said there was no doubt that Ms Grender had been killed before the fire started. |
| Her body was found on the bed, the court heard. | Her body was found on the bed, the court heard. |
| The bed had been set alight to try to mask the murder, the jury was told, and firefighters called to the blazing flat were met by a ball of flame. | |
| Mr Taylor QC said the fire on the bed had been lit in three different places, probably with a lighter. | Mr Taylor QC said the fire on the bed had been lit in three different places, probably with a lighter. |
| The fire service was called out at 07:50 and had the blaze under control by 08:15. | |
| The prosecution said it was clear Ms Grender had been murdered by stabbing. | |
| Blood tests had proved that she had not died from the effects of the smoke. |