Woman 'stabbed housemate to death because she feared sex attack'

Court: Novotna is on trial at the High Court in Dundee.

A woman has told a court how she tied a dressing gown cord over her housemate’s eyes and neck before arming herself with a knife, walking topless into his room and stabbing him to death.

Eliska Novotna admitted striking Arunas Ramanauskas with the blade up to six times.

But she denies murdering the Lithuanian, claiming she was acting in self defence as she feared being the victim of a sex attack.

On Thursday Novotna, 23, told her trial at the High Court in Dundee she had been drinking since 10am on October 7 last year.

She had moved in with Mr Ramanauskas six days earlier as she looked for accommodation closer to Glenrath Farm, near Peebles, where both worked.

Novotna told the court Mr Ramanauskas borrowed a DVD from her and she had later asked for a lift to a nearby Sainsbury's store.

They went together and bought beer and rum before returning home. Mr Ramanauskas then invited her to watch the film, Battle of Los Angeles, with him in his room.

Novotna claimed as they watched he started touching her "lovingly" on the arms and shoulders and she had asked him to stop. She then went downstairs to make a sandwich and claimed he followed her and tried to dance with her.

Novotna said she went back to her room before going back upstairs to ask him what time he was going to drive her to work in the morning.

She said: "He took my hand and pushed me on his body. He took my t-shirt and bra off and was touching me. I didn't want it to happen. I told him I had my period and had to go and change my tampon."

Novotna said she then told Mr Ramanauskas that she was shy and did not want him to see her so, with his help, tied a dressing gown cord round his eyes and neck.

She told the court: "I went to the kitchen and took the knife and placed it in the rear pocket of my trousers because I was scared. When I went back upstairs I was half naked. He said 'I want to f*** the brains out of your head'. He took my trousers down and placed me on himself."

Defence QC Jim Keegan asked: "People will wonder why you went back upstairs?"

She replied: "I wanted to get my clothes and get the answer to my question because he didn't answer me before."

Novotna said Mr Ramanauskas then tried to push her into a position to carry out a sex act.

She said: "The knife was in the pocket of my trousers - when he was trying to get my pants off I reached for the knife. I stabbed him - somewhere on the chest. He was moving towards me then was lying on the ground.

"I stabbed him six times. It all happened fast - it was dark and fast. I was protecting myself - I wanted to stop him. It was the only way of protecting myself that I had."

Mr Keegan QC asked: "When did you realise he was dead?"

She said: "He didn't make any noise or move and the colour of his body was different.

"I was shocked and ran to the bathroom and realised I still had the knife so I threw it back in the room. I called 999 but hung up straight away because I didn't know what to say - I needed to see their faces."

Novotna denies a charge of murdering Mr Ramanauskas on October 7 or 8 last year at The Old Farm House, Easter Happrew Peebles, by repeatedly stabbing him on the body with a knife. She has lodged a special defence of self defence in the case.

The trial, before Lady Clark of Calton and a jury of nine men and six women, continues.

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