‘Women’s intuition’ led to panic before stabbing

EVENTS at the scene of an alleged murder caused panic – even before a man was stabbed to death, a trial heard yesterday.

Sales assistant Corinne Benstead, 24, said “woman’s intuition” alerted her to the possibility that something might happen.

She told the High Court in Edinburgh that she left her flat in Tranent, East Lothian, to shout at two blonde girls and a man after being woken in the early hours of the morning by “rowdiness down at the bottom of the stair.”

She then called her mum to tell her what was happening and knew her dad was calling police to the scene.

On trial is James Purves, 29, who denies murdering scaffolder Paul Scott, 22, on February 7 at the flat in Tollhouse Gardens where Purves was living with on-off girlfriend Donna Beatson.

Purves claims he stabbed Mr Scott in self defence.

The trial continues.