Murder trial shown CCTV of man near victim's house

The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering his cousin with an axe at her home has been shown footage of a person walking near the house on the night of the attack.

Donald Excell, 49, who is on trial at Hove Crown Court, is accused of killing Rita Lambourne, 58, in Bexhill, East Sussex, on 12 February.

On Monday, the court was shown a compilation of security camera videos showing a person, whom the prosecution alleges to be Mr Excell, carrying an object in their hand near Ms Lambourne's home.

Mr Excell, of Seabourne Road in Bexhill, denies murder and possession of a bladed article.

Sussex Police officers checked security footage from a wide area around Bexhill, the jury was told.

Det Con Elliott Lander, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said the amount of CCTV footage obtained in relation to the incident was the "biggest I've ever seen".

However, he told the jury no footage had been obtained from the front of Mr Excell's property on 12 February.

Earlier in the trial, Teresa Atkins, a cousin of Mr Excell and Ms Lambourne, told the jury the defendant had "fallen out" with the victim.

Previously, when Mr Gledhill asked if the defendant had expressed any views to her about Ms Lambourne, she replied: "He loved her, he hated her. He was angry with her."

Earlier in the trial, a schoolfriend of Ms Lambourne described her as a "lovely person" who was "the type who would give you the coat off her back".

The trial continues.

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