A JURY sitting on a murder trial has heard how a woman tried to wake up Steven Paynter when she saw him lying on the floor of his Hereford flat covered in blood.

Worcester Crown Court was told that Mr Paynter, aged 46, had been stabbed in his home in Ryelands Street, Whitecross, on August 3 last year. He later died from his injuries.

Stacy Hales, 36, of Belmont Road, Hereford, denies his murder.

The court was read a statement given to police officers by Charleen Burns. She had casually known Mr Paynter – known to friends as ‘Taff’ or ‘Taffy’ – for about six or seven years.

On August 3 Charleen said she was visiting the shared house in Ryelands Street to take food to her ex-partner, who was living in a basement room.

She said she saw Hales when she first arrived at the house and he asked her to check if Mr Paynter was in his room on the first floor. She said she told Hales she wasn’t going to check and Hales left the room soon after.

Sometime later she said she heard loud thuds and shouting but didn’t think much of it as disturbances were not uncommon in the house.

It was only when she got up to go to the bathroom and decided to say hello to Mr Paynter that she saw his bloody body lying on the floor.

She said: “I was shocked at what I saw. I saw Taff lying on his back. There was a trail of blood coming from Taff’s head. His eyes were open. I thought he was dead but I went to him to be sure.

“I picked his hands up and shouted ‘Taff wake up!’ He was cold and his hands were sodden with blood.”

The jury has previously heard from Tomas Norbutas. He had also been to visit another friend in the shared house when he came across Mr Paynter on the floor.

He had called the emergency services but spoke little English.

Charleen, therefore, took the phone from Mr Norbutas and took over the call until help arrived.

The trial continues.