Jane Hunt
Clare Nash died in her home in Brickfields Avenue, Newmarket in 2020
- Credit: Archant
A former trainee jockey accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend has told a court that he was in a “psychotic rage” when he stabbed and strangled her to death.
Charles Jessop returned to give evidence at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday, May 11 after shouting, swearing and storming out of the witness box while giving evidence on Monday.
In his fifth day of evidence, Jessop said that he feared his former girlfriend, Claire Nash, had a gun in her flat - and that if he didn’t kill her, she would kill him.
Jessop, 30, of Bakers Row, Newmarket admits unlawfully killing 33-year-old mother-of-two Miss Nash in January last year.
However, he denies murdering her by stabbing and strangling her in the toilet of her flat in Brickfields Avenue, Newmarket.
The mechanic and former trainee jockey told the court that he had sought help from his GP for anxiety and depression and was prescribed the antidepressant drug Citalopram.
Asked by Mr Monteith why after killing Miss Nash he he had made reference to schizophrenia, psychosis and needing to be locked up in Broadmoor , Jessop said those were the extreme senses he felt as a result of taking the drug.
Jane Hunt
Clare Nash died at her home in Brickfields Avenue, Newmarket
- Credit: Archant
A former trainee jockey accused of killing his ex-girlfriend started “snorting” prescribed anti-depressant medication in a bid to lift his mood in the days leading up to her death, a court has heard
Giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court during his third day in the witness box, Charles Jessop said that after being prescribed Citalopram he had initially taken his doctor’s advice and had not drunk alcohol or used illegal drugs.
However, five days before he killed 33-year-old Claire Nash, he had visited a pub.
Acting Sergeant Boardman said the male identified himself as Charlie Jessop before she arrested him on suspicion of attempted murder, to which, she told the court, he laughed and replied: Attempted murder? More like murder. She s brown bread.
She said Jessop then began talking to himself and used a high-pitched voice, as though impersonating a female, to say: I have done a test and I m pregnant .
Upon leaving the house, she said Jessop again laughed and shouted to onlookers gathered outside: She s been murdered. She s dead.
Acting Sergeant Boardman told jurors that, when further arrested on suspicion of murder following Miss Nash s death, Jessop became emotional and shouted Oh, Clare .