Lee McKnight murder: Murder accused seen 'cleaning up blood in her home'

A woman accused of murdering a man over a drug debt was seen cleaning up blood in her kitchen, a court has heard.

Six people from Carlisle deny murdering Lee McKnight, 26, whose body was found in the River Caldew in the city.

Raymond Light said he saw Carol Edgar clean blood off a cupboard in her home, Carlisle Crown Court was told.

Mr Light said it was not unusual to see blood in Ms Edgar's home because she was an intravenous drug user.

Arron Graham, of Blackwell Road; Jamie Lee Roberts, 18, of Grey Street; and Jamie Davison, 26, of Beverley Rise, all deny murder.

Mr Roberts' 51-year-old father Paul Roberts, of Grey Street, and mother and daughter Coral Edgar, 26, and Carol Edgar, 48, both of Charles Street, also deny murder.

Mr Light told the hearing he remembered visiting the Charles Street address in Carlisle on 24 July because it was his birthday.

Mr McKnight's body had been discovered in the water on that day at 05:00 BST.

Mr Light said when he arrived Carol Edgar was cleaning her kitchen and he saw her wipe away blood specks from a cupboard and the floor while they chatted.

Asked if he was surprised by that, Mr Light continued: "It wasn't unusual for me to see that.

"Because the way of life that we live, she was an IV (intravenous) user, a heroin user, she used to inject. Blood used to get spilt and I've seen it before."

Jurors also heard statements from friends of Mr McKnight who spoke of people chasing him for money in the months before his death.

One recalled an occasion in 2019 when Mr McKnight told him he had given murder-accused Jamie Davison £2,000 for drugs, but that he still owed him money and was "going to struggle to get it."

The trial continues.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.