'I told him I still loved him': Ex of Shrewsbury 'murder victim' admits they 'wound each other up' and were 'spiteful' in trial of man accused of stabbing him
A woman whose ex’s death is the subject of a murder trial said she told him she “still loved him” before witnessing him dying in the street.
Kai Sainz-Stafford, aged 24, is accused of murdering young Shrewsbury dad Sam ‘Sivo’ Siviter, 35, who died after an incident at Lambourn Drive, Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury on Friday, May 2 this year.
Stafford Crown Court was told that Sainz-Stafford plunged a knife once into Mr Siviter’s chest and twice into his leg after going to the house “to have some fun with a girl” - namely Hannah Cottrell, Mr Siviter’s ex-partner.
Mr Siviter staggered to a neighbour’s home before collapsing to the ground and dying in the back of an ambulance.
Ms Cottrell took to the witness box to give evidence after two interviews which she gave to the police were played to the jury.
She told how she messaged Mr Siviter to say how she “still loved him”, before paying for Sainz-Stafford to get a taxi to her home in Lambourn Drive late at night on the same day.
She claimed Sainz-Stafford’s 11.15pm visit was not intended to be “romantic”.
“He (Sainz-Stafford) asked if he could come and see me. I said you’re welcome to but we’re going to bed soon. I booked him a taxi.
“He sat on the sofa. We were having a laugh. The next thing the front door flies open and Sam comes into the house.
“Arms were flying. I didn’t see either of them hit each other. The next thing, Sam’s out of the house.
“Kai said let me go and speak to him, he’s my mate. I said ‘I can’t stop you’, and let him go.”
She then described how she found out Mr Siviter was gravely ill.
“This lad who lives down the road was banging the door saying ‘help, I think Sivo’s dying’.
“I went outside where the ambulance was and he was there on the floor. It all happened so fast.”
She said she did not see either of the men carrying weapons.
In her message to Mr Siviter earlier in the day she said she was “heartbroken” at how their relationship had recently ended.
“I said he would always have a place in my heart and that I loved him,” she said. “I just wanted him to get the help he needed,” she added, tearfully.
