A witness in a murder trial apologised in court after passing a note to a member of court staff saying: “You’re beautiful.”
Minicab driver Mohammed Younis was called to give evidence at Inner London crown court over the discovery of his girlfriend’s murdered body in 1991.
But during the lunch break on Wednesday, Mr Younis passed a handwritten note to the female court worker, who then reported him to the trial judge.
“During the lunch break you passed a note to a member of court staff that said ‘you’re beautiful’ which had your name on it?”, asked defence barrister Philippa McAtasney KC.
“It should be noted this member of staff is not working in this court room.
“Why did you do that, given that you’re here for this trial as a witness?”
Mr Younis replied: “I apologise, I shouldn’t have done that.
“But being here and this situation – you know – it was just in case.”
Mr Younis told the court he had met the staff member before he entered the court building to give his evidence.
The unusual incident unfolded in the murder trial of David Smith, a 66-year-old former delivery driver, who is accused of the murder Sarah Crump in her home in Southall in August 1991.
Ms Crump, 33, a medical secretary who also worked as an escort, was killed and mutilated on the same day she had been paid for sex by Mr Smith.
The court has heard Smith is a convicted murderer, having killing another sex worker, Amanda Walker, in 1999.
It is said that Smith told a fellow inmate in prison that he “likes to see girls in a lot of pain” and has allegedly confessed to a second murder.
Mr Younis, from Birmingham, was dating Ms Crump in 1991 and reported her as missing on 1 September.
After failed attempts to contact her, he acquired her front door keys and entered the flat, shouting ‘Sarah, are you home?’.
“The bathroom door was open. I went in there and I saw red spots on the toilet”, he said.
“There are a few clothes out but I thought she just left in a rush and I just walked over them, I could see drawers with clothes pulled out.
“There was a bit of a smell, but I didn’t give it much thought because I thought probably she had done some cooking and not changed the bag or something.
“Clothes were scattered around and I went straight out of the flat without looking any further and closed the door behind me.”
Mr Younis said he spent around 30 seconds in the flat before leaving without finding Ms Crump’s body.
Smith, of no fixed address, denies murder.
The trial continues.
