Lee Pomeroy murder accused 'had panic attacks on trains', court hears Published duration 3 July 2019

image caption Darren Pencille denies murdering Lee Pomeroy but admits possessing a bladed article

A man accused of stabbing a passenger 18 times on a train phoned his girlfriend to say he was hearing voices and being followed, jurors have heard.

Chelsea Mitchell said Darren Pencille's call was "quite normal" as he had panic attacks on trains, but he did not tell her he was going to kill anyone.

She told the Old Bailey that after she had collected him from the station he said "he had been in a fight".

Mr Pencille, 36, denies murdering Lee Pomeroy on a Guildford to London train.

Ms Mitchell, 28, of Wilbury Road, Farnham, in Surrey - the same address as Mr Pencille - denies assisting an offender following the incident on 4 January.

image copyright Family Handout image caption Lee Pomeroy was stabbed 18 times on a Guildford-to-London train, the Old Bailey has heard

Ms Mitchell said she did not suspect anything serious has happened after Mr Pencille asked her to pick him up from the train station.

"It was quite normal for him to be like that, very frustrated, with anxiety and paranoia. I have had so many calls like that," she said.

She told the court that she saw Mr Pencille had cuts when she got home and asked him if he wanted to go to hospital, but he said "no". She then went to the chemist and got antiseptic wipes and plasters.

When she returned, he had shaved off his beard, she told jurors.

The court heard Mr Pencille made phone calls to his mother and ex-partner, and Ms Mitchell said she could hear him crying to his mother.

She told jurors she discovered what had happened "not long after I got home".

image caption Chelsea Mitchell denies assisting an offender

Asked what she thought, Ms Mitchell said: "I just shut down and froze. I was there earlier. I picked someone up. I just froze."

Asked if she said anything to Mr Pencille, she said: "I didn't know how to say anything. I didn't know what to do."

Then asked if she called the police, she said: "No. I didn't know what to do. The police were going to come anyway. The first place they were going to call was his flat and my flat."

Asked what she did, Ms Mitchell replied: "I waited."

The court heard police arrived the next morning and she told them Mr Pencille was in the house.

She said she had not tried to prevent Mr Pencille being arrested or prosecuted.

The court heard he was currently prescribed drugs which are used to treat anxiety, depression and psychotic conditions, and he had received inpatient and outpatient treatment.

Mr Pencille chose not to give evidence during the trial.

The trial continues.

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