A teenager accused of murdering his girlfriend told police that she died in an altercation which was allegedly sparked by her hitting him in the head with a weapon.
Liam Cain is currently standing trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of the murder of his partner Courtney Boorne. The 20-year-old died on December 23 last year after being discovered unresponsive at the couple's flat on Quarry Green Heights in Kirkby.
Jurors were yesterday read a statement from PC Evan Nutley, who attended the scene at around 5.30pm. Once inside the apartment, the officer reported seeing Cain "crying, sobbing on the floor" in the living room.
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The 19-year-old was found to be in possession of a "small amount of cash in his pocket", while he also carried out a "cursory search of the room". PC Nutley's statement said: "He was crying and in great distress."
Cain was "repeatedly" heard saying "get me out of here" and "I want to get out of this flat". He reported having smoked cannabis and drank a bottle of beer, with his breathing described as "shallow".
The teenager was initially detained on suspicion of a section 18 assault and, upon his arrival into custody at Copy Lane Police Station shortly after 6pm, "complained of light headedness". Cain was then further arrested on suspicion of murder shortly after 7.15pm after Ms Boorne's death was confirmed.
Around half an hour later, he reported that he had earlier "taken multiple different tablets". The defendant stated that he "did not know what the tablets were" and threw the packaging out of the window of his address, having taken "50 tablets".
Patrols remaining at the complex were asked to check the grounds for any medication boxes following this claim. Cain was then taken to Southport Hospital for treatment.
Gordon Cole KC, prosecuting, went on to read a number of agreed facts to the jury. While Merseyside Police were attempting to gain entry to the flat, the murder accused had sent a series of messages to his dad.
On text at 5.08pm read: "I love you the world - everyone, I'm so sorry. Tell everyone."
His father then responded by saying "please answer". Cain replied: "I can't, I'm sorry."
In a prepared statement given to detectives under interviewed following his arrest, he said: "I wish to state at that outset that I vehemently deny this allegation. Recently, Courtney has changed and had become more argumentative with me and has assaulted me in the recent past."
Cain claimed this had caused a "deterioration" in his mental health, and said of the events of December 23: "Courtney and I were engaged in a verbal argument following calls made to me by an unknown telephone number to my phone. The first act of violence was while I was sat on the sofa in the living area."
He alleged that this had consisted of a "strong blow to the side of the head, Courtney having hit me with an object". Cain stated that he initially "allowed" this attack and "simply tried to block it".
His statement continued: "Any physical contact I had was only reasonable enough to prevent her from further attacking me. At no time whatsoever did I prevent Courtney from leaving the premises or lock the doors.
"It was Courtney who locked the doors, preventing me from leaving the flat. All I wished to do was bring to an end her attack upon me."
Mr Cole told the court during the prosecution's opening on Monday that Ms Boorne had phoned her mum Cheryl at around 3.30pm on December 23 2022. In this call, she told her mother "if she didn't hear from her within an hour to call the police, because something was going on".
Around an hour later, a neighbour rang 999 reporting that she could see a woman in an apartment opposite "screaming and climbing onto the window ledge". Mr Cole added: "She said that the female appeared to be shouting at someone inside the flat.
"Courtney Boorne was heard to shout 'please'. She was crying and she was shouting, 'he has all the doors locked and he won't let me out'."
Another witness also called the police to "report a female shouting out of the window, screaming, shouting 'call the police, he's choking me'". Mr Cole said: "She was described by as screaming, and the window was then closed.
"What they couldn't see, of course, was what was going on inside the flat. The only two people inside the flat were Courtney Boorne and this defendant."
Officers then attended the 14th-storey property "very quickly" and had to force entry upon their arrival shortly before 5pm. They discovered Ms Boorne unconscious on a bed in the bedroom with "visible marks to her neck".
She was rushed to Aintree Hospital, but was pronounced dead at 7.02pm. A post-mortem investigation later found that she had suffered a cardiac arrest "because of the asphyxia, the strangulation, the smothering of her by this defendant".
Cain was arrested after being found "crouched down, leaning on an armchair in the living room" with "scratch marks" on his head and face. He denies murder, and the trial continues.
