A MAN on trial for helping killer William Blencowe told his girlfriend to take a hammer to his phone after he was arrested, a jury has been told.

Grant Clemens, of Stockwells in Moreton-in-Marsh, was taken into custody on February 19 this year and denies perverting the course of justice.

The 23-year-old is accused of aiding Blencowe by providing him with new clothes and transport after he is alleged to have fatally stabbed Connor Tremble on the evening of February 13.

But along with his co-defendant Bradley Jones, Clemens claims not to have known what the 21-year-old had done.

Blencowe, of Oxford Road, Banbury, denies Connor’s murder, but admits inflicting the injuries which led to his death two days later in the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Prosecutor Richard Barton said Blencowe would argue he was suffering from a mental condition and had also been acting in self defence.

Mr Barton told the jury at Oxford Crown Court that the police were investigating the location of Clemens’ mobile phone, which he used to call police before he was arrested.

Yesterday a custody officer at Abingdon Police Station, Bethany Harrison, gave evidence.

She listened in while Clemens called his girlfriend, Bradley Jones’ sister Coral.

The officer said Clemens asked: “Can you go into my Facebook page and deactivate it and delete my account?”

Mr Barton said Coral told him she would and asked for Clemens’ phone password.

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  • ACCUSED: Will Blencowe

He replied: “Shut the f*** up, why did you say that? The police woman’s listening, why have you got it?”

Clemens added: “You dropped me right in it, put a f****** hammer through it.”

Mr Barton said at this point a custody sergeant stepped in and ended the conversation.

The barrister added that on February 20 co-defendant Jones was arrested and found to have Clemens’ mobile phone in his possession.

Jones, 21, of New Road, Bledington, was then charged with perverting the course of justice, which he denies.

The trial continues.

 

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