Woman 'stabbed in head' multiple times by housemate, murder trial hears

A woman was stabbed "multiple times" in the head and neck after an argument with a housemate spiralled out of control, a murder trial has heard.

Shannon Stanley, who was 27, died at a property she shared with defendant Pablo Hoad, also 27, and his girlfriend in the Small Heath area of Birmingham.

Mr Hoad, 27, denies murder in a trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

The court heard evidence from a friend, Waqar Ali, on Friday who said he witnessed the events that led to the death of Ms Stanley, who was originally from Swindon in Wiltshire.

Under cross examination, Ali claimed he had gone to Stanley's house with Hoad on the night she died, where there were several other people.

He claimed that Mr Hoad accused one attendee, a man named Chris, of being a "snitch".

"It got Shannon a bit angry. She said, 'he is my friend.'

"Chris left. I was in the living room. Shannon was angry. She said, 'How are you allowed to have your friend here when I'm not allowed to have Chris?'

"They carried on arguing."

Ali then claimed that, as the argument escalated, Ms Stanley threatened to get a meat cleaver and "slice everyone in the house."

He then saw claims he saw Hoad grab Ms Stanley and push her into the kitchen.

"He picked her up and slammed her on the work top. I saw a knife in his hand and he tried slashing her neck.

"She did not do anything....I saw him trying to stab her. I grabbed the hand where he was using the knife to stab her."

He said Hoad was stabbing at the top of Ms Stanley's head and neck and added that she did not have a weapon. "I tried to stop him," said Ali. "There was blood on the floor. We all fell on the floor.

"I was saying 'that is enough'."

The prosecution allege Hoad carried out a "sustained" attack on Shannon Stanley - and say she was stabbed five times.

Hoad denies murder. The trial continues.