Stephen Farrow Trial

The jury in the trial of Stephen Farrow has been hearing from Michaela Rowsell who met him at a church in Bridport after going there to help the homeless.

She says within two weeks a friend told her that Mr Farrow fancied her. "Did you feel the same way?", asked the prosecution. "No", she replied.

She told the court that the defendant invented meetings at church to see her.

She says she took him and two others a roast dinner at his Bridport flat. She says he became "dark and violent".

Michaela Rowsell later received texts saying "I love you, I miss you". On New Year's Eve 2011 the texts became nasty. She rang the police about one which left her petrified. It read in part:

As you reject me you will suffer. I will be just around the corner and you will never know when I will be there. You don't and never knew just how disturbed I am. The church will be the first to suffer. It was always going to end like this. You can all go to hell. Watch the news because you will know it was me.

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The jury in the trial of double murder suspect Stephen Farrow has heard from Rev Andrew Evans who knew the defendant from his visits to his church in Bridport, Dorset. Mr Farrow would visit for food and drink.

Often he would be very assertive or aggressive in his attitude towards the church. He could not understand why no church would give him money. Only on one occasion did I feel threatened by him. He asked several times (for money), each time more assertively. Others were scared of him and his mood swings.

Stephen Farrow, who's 49, denies the murder of Rev John Suddards at his vicarage in Thornbury, S Glos on February 14 but admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He also denies the murder of 77-year-old Betty Yates at her Worcestershire home in January.

The trial continues

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• Stephen Farrow

Two knives were examined, one recovered at the vicarage, the other at the Kent address where Stephen Farrow was arrested, the court is told. The Rev Suddards' blood was found on both.

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Jury hears from pathologist Dr Amanda Jeffery say Rev Suddards suffered seven stab wounds, including one to the heart and another to the neck. 'Either or both could have caused death,' she said, adding that 'severe' force would have used to inflict the neck injury.

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Stephen Farrow is again absent from Bristol Crown Court for his double murder trial. He denies the murder of Rev John Suddards in Thornbury on February 14 but admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He also denies the murder of 77-year-old Betty Yates in January.

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Images of a killer filmed on CCTV moments after he stabbed a vicar to death were shown to a jury today.

They show Stephen Farrow reading a newspaper on a bus as he headed away from the crime scene in South Gloucestershire.

He denies murdering Reverend John Suddards at his vicarage in Thornbury but admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

It was also revealed the word 'help' was scrawled on a wall at the vicar's home.

Richard Payne reports from Bristol Crown Court:

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• Thornbury
• Stephen Farrow

A jury has heard a blood stained knife was seized during the arrest of double murder suspect Stephen Farrow.

He admits killing the Reverend John Suddards at his vicarage in Thornbury in South Gloucestershire, but claims it wasn't murder. He's pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

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The jury in the trial of the man accused of murdering the vicar of Thornbury in South Gloucestershire has been hearing of the moment his body was found.

Stephen Farrow stabbed the Reverend John Suddards to death at his vicarage in February. He admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but denies murder.

Richard Payne reports from Bristol Crown Court:

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