Video footage shows arrest of man accused of murdering Edinburgh mum Nicola Stevenson with a hammer

Body-worn footage of police arresting a man on suspicion of murdering a Lewes mother-of-two has been played to a jury presiding over the case.

Nicola Stevenson and her alleged murderer, Richard Canlin

The eight-minute video clip showed officers knocking on the door of Nicola Stevenson’s flat in Lewes, Sussex, on November 13, last year, the day after her body was found in a wheelie bin in undergrowth on the edge of the recreation ground.

In the video, police are seen knocking and shouting through the letterbox multiple times but there is no answer. The officers then use an enforcer to gain entry to the flat before Richard Canlin, the man accused of killing Nicola, is heard speaking.

The footage shows officers making their way into the flat and arresting Canlin on suspicion of murder, who is heard saying: “You having a laugh.”

A statement from constable Robert Gregory was also read out to the jury which heard Canlin was in the corridor of the flat when police gained entry.

PC Gregory said when Canlin iwa put in handcuffs and taken outside the property, he teold him and other officers: “I ain't killed nobody. This is ridiculous, I’ve not killed nobody.”

Canlin also told that Edinburgh-born Nicola ‘went away for a few months’, PC Gregory said.

While in the police car on the way to the station, PC Gregory said Canlin told him and the other officers that he has a mental age of six. He also said another man called John Parish ‘has got more to do with it’.

The court earlier heard evidence from John Parish, who Canlin claims killed Nicola, a former Balerno High School pupil.

Police did arrest Mr Parish on suspicion of her murder, alongside Canlin, but there was no evidence connecting him with her death, the court heard.

The court heard that Mr Parish met Nicola, 39, last August in Eastbourne when he was homeless.

He said: “She was alright - a nice, cheeky girl, she was a good friend of mine.”

The witness said she asked him to move into her flat to be her carer so he could get carers allowance. Mr Parish said he took up the offer as it ‘seemed a good thing at the time’.

The court also heard that Mr Parish, Nicola and Canlin struggled with drug abuse and he told Caroline Carberry QC, prosecuting that Canlin took crack cocaine and heroin.

Mr Parish told the court that Nicola was not happy with Canlin and would try and get him to leave. She would make appointments for him to go to hostels or get re-housed but he would not engage with anything, he said.

Nicola and Canlin also argued over money and the state of the lounge, where Canlin slept.

Mr Parish and his dog, Red, stayed in Nicola’s flat for a fortnight and he left because they were taking too many drugs.

When asked by Ms Carberry if Nicola was happy about him leaving, he replied: “No, she would argue with me. It was Nikki being Nikki - she would swear, shout, she took my phone.”

Mr Parish also said Nicola was controlling and called the police and made accusations that he was threatening her and ‘making trouble’, over a missing mobile phone.

Mr Parish told the court he returned to the flat to get his phone back, but Nicola told him to ‘go away’ and this was the last time he saw her alive.]

When asked by Ms Carberry if he had any involvement in Nicola’s death, he replied: “No.”

Jeremy Wainwright QC, defending, asked Mr Parish if he ever threatened Canlin with a knife or cut him with a knife, to which he replied: ‘No’.

He also asked if he was ever violent with Nicola, to which Mr Parish also replied ‘no’.

Mr Wainwright then said: “You grabbed her by the throat didn’t you?

Mr Parish replied: “No, I didn’t.”

Mr Wainwright told Mr Parish: “You put your forearm forcefully against her throat, using so much force you were lifting her off ground?”

Mr Parish replied: “No.”

Mr Wainwright asked Mr Parish if he ever threatened Canlin that he ‘would be dead’ as a result of an argument they had. Mr Parish said no.

He then asked Mr Parish if he ever threatened Nicola that ‘she be dead’, to which Mr Parish also replied, no.

Mr Wainwright said: “You were in the flat with Nicola and Canlin in October and an argument happened about drugs and payment. You grabbed Nicola around the neck and punched her.

“Nicola took the hammer out and threatened you with it.”

Mr Parish denied the claim and also Mr Wainwright’s suggestion that he struck Nicola over the head with the hammer.

He also denied that Canlin had tried to stop the attack and threatening him after disposing of the body.

Mr Wainwright said: “You thought he [Canlin] was a simple man and hadn’t always got along with Nicola, so he could take the blame for what you had done.”

Mr Parish replied with ‘no’ again.

The court also heard from Dr Charlotte Randall, a consultant forensic pathologist who found that Nicola died of a blunt force trauma to her head. She also said there was evidence her neck could have been forcefully grabbed, resulting in unconsciousness.

Nicola’s injuries demonstrated a severe degree of force, Mr Randall told the court. Alcohol, cocaine and cannabis were in her system at the time of her death, she said.

Canlin denies murder and the trial at Hove Crown Court continues.

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