Rebecca Press: Caerphilly woman, 31, told ex-boyfriend ‘I’ve murdered someone’ after knife attack, court told

A drugged-up woman headbutted her mother before fatally stabbing her neighbour through the heart with a kitchen knife on a violent rampage, a court was told.

Rebecca Press then called her ex-boyfriend and told him “it’s really bad ... I’ve just murdered someone”, the jury heard. The 31-year-old is accused of murdering Richard Marc Ash, 57, in July last year.

She is also charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm against her mother Michelle Press, who she headbutted just minutes before fatally stabbing the victim. Press admits to stabbing Mr Ash and assaulting her mother but denies the both charges against her claiming her actions were in self-defence.

Mr Ash was described as the “best friend” of the defendant’s mother, and he had spent most of 16 July with the two women and a number of other neighbours drinking and watching rugby in Ms Press’s garden, in New Tredegar, Caerphilly, South Wales.

Later that evening, Rebecca Press said she wanted to go to the pub and Mr Ash said he would accompany her. Press became aggressive in the pub claiming Mr Ash had locked her in the female toilets and when he left to walk back to her mother’s house she followed.

Once back at the house the prosecution say an argument flared up between the defendant and her brother Gavin Press during which she headbutted her mother, causing her an injury to her nose. The jury at Cardiff Crown Court were told Rebecca Press was drunk and high on cannabis and ecstasy by this point.

Jonathan Rees KC, prosecuting, told the jury: “Throughout that time, the defendant, who was drinking and had taken drugs, was behaving more and more erratically, eventually headbutting her mother to the nose causing a cut. When Marc Ash tried to calm the defendant down he paid the price with his life.”

Both Mr Ash and Michelle Press, the defendant’s mother, called 999 about Rebecca Press’ violent behaviour. In the call to police, which was played to the jury, Mr Ash said: “It’s all kicking off here at the moment. I’m in my neighbour’s house. There are two people who are not wanted in here and they have assaulted people.”

Mr Rees, prosecuting, said: “Rebecca Press had picked up a knife and stabbed Richard Marc Ash with it just above his heart.” He told the jury the blade went into the victim up to the handle - which was around 7.5cm.

After stabbing Mr Ash, Press is said to have burst into her mother’s bedroom and told her: “I’ve f****** stabbed your best friend.” Police officers, paramedics and a doctor with the Welsh Air Ambulance service tried to save Mr Ash but his death was confirmed at around 2am.

The jury heard that Press left her ex-boyfriend Ashley Allen a voicemail message, which said: “Ash, it’s really bad. It’s really f******* bad. I’ve just stabbed someone and killed them. I’ve just murdered someone, please phone me back.”

The court heard Press then fled the house and was hiding in an overgrown area a short distance away. The jury was told she also called Mr Allen’s mother and told her she had killed someone.

When she was eventually spotted by police and arrested on suspicion of murder she “feigned surprise”, asking officers: “Have I murdered someone?” A health care professional who examined Press at the police station commented how she was shocked at how “oddly calm and jovial” she was.

The next day tests revealed Press had benzodiazepines in her system as well as MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and traces of THC a chemical found in cannabis. She gave a prepared statement to detectives, which was read to the court and claimed Mr Ash had become “aggressive” towards her despite normally being a “chilled and mellow character”.

She said: “I picked up the closest item to me which was the knife and hit him with it. I didn’t intend to stab him in the chest but I accept that is what I did.

“I had no intention to kill Marc I was acting in self defence. Marc is a six foot plus man and a lot bigger and stronger than me. I was genuinely in fear for my safety.”

Press denies the charges. The trial continues.