A PURFLEET TEENAGER on trial for murder has had her version of events read out to the jury at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Priscilla Scamp, 18, Centurion Way, Purfleet is accused of the murder of Daniel “Dave” Thomas at his flat at 38a Darnley Road, Grays on or about the 13th April last year.
The court heard from witness Detective Sgt Liz Morgan who read out her questions from five days of intervews in custody. Prosecuting counsel read out Scamp’s replies.
Scamp immediately told the police that : “I’m not involved with the murder.”
Scamp explained that she last saw the deceased on Friday April 9th. That she returned to the flat on Saturday 10th where she knocked, shouted through the letterbox but no-one was in. She returned to Purfleet and then hitchhiked to Dartford where she stayed with relatives for a few days.
Scamp’s evidence detailed the life she had with Daniel “Dave” Thomas in the few months where she lived at this flat.
She revealed that they had first met at the Charles Street Hostel for the Homeless in Grays where they both found they had a number of things in common including depression, being bullied and recent failed suicide attempts.
The court heard her describe in detail the large quantity of drugs that were in the flat as well as the constant flow of people that came to the flat to buy drugs. She said: “I saw a kilo of cocaine and a kilo of cannabis. His flat was known as The Shop”
Scamp described the last weekend that she saw Mr Thomas as one dictated by drug taking and drinking.
DS Morgan asked Scamp why, when she said that the last time she had tried to contact Dave was on Saturday morning, was their a text from her phone to his on Saturday evening. Scamp replied that she was confused.
When DS Morgan reeled off a list of the people they had interviewed, Scamp replied. “My mates are all c****, you know them, you talked to them?”
As the interviews entered the second day, the questioning became more intense. DS Morgan returned to the last day Scamp was alleged to have seen Daniel “Dave” Thomas.
In quick fire, she was asked: “Did you argue? Did you inflict an injury? Did you stab him? Did you cut his throat? Did you stab him in the abdomen? Did you stab him in the chest? On each occasion, Scamp said “No”
On the third day of questioning, the police disclosed to Scamp that forensic evidence had revealed that her fingerprints were found from blood on a light switch in 38a Darnley Road.
At that time, Scamp, through her solicitor, issued a prepared statement in which she revealed that she saw the deceased on Friday 9th April last year. She then went to a camp-site in Purfleet at the weekend as well as going to Kent. On Tuesday 13th April, she took the train from Purfleet to Grays but her ex-boyfriend was also on the train. They got into an argument and he assaulted her, causing the loss of a tooth, scratching and blood to fall onto her leggings.
The statement further revealed that she did have a key to the Darnley Road flat and so on her return, let herself in.
Once in the flat, Scamp’s statement revealed that she saw Dave lying on the floor, she felt for a pulse and that is where his blood must have got onto her clothing.
Scamp revealed that the flat looked ransacked and she noted that all the drugs had gone. She left, met her friend Paige Collier near to the railway station and made preparations to travel back to Purfleet and then onto Kent.
Scamp denies the charges.
The case continues.
