Murder trial: Cousin of mum-of-four was called amid concern for accused's welfare

Russell Marsh, 29, of Chevrons Road, Shotton, denies the murder of his ex-wife Jade Marsh, 27, also known as Jade Ward, on the night of August 25, 2021. He also denies a charge of manslaughter.

Police found the body of Ms Ward, a mum of four, under a pile of clothes in the box bedroom of her Chevrons Road house early on August 26. She had multiple stab wounds and a fractured neck, with a pathologist concluding her likely cause of death was asphyxiation.

On the sixth day of the trial Zak Robinson, the first cousin of Jade Ward, said he was told by her to come round to visit Russell Marsh in September 2020, not long after the couple had split, amid concerns for his welfare. He was "crying" and had "a pile" of pills and a large kitchen knife in front of him on the table.

Russell Marsh. Photo: Andrew Price/ View Finder Pictures

Mr Robinson said he cheered Marsh up and walked him to Chevrons Road, where Marsh was to sleep on the sofa that night.

Mr Robinson added: "She didn't want to be with him, she couldn't stand him at that point. She only wanted to be together for the children."

Marsh and Ms Ward got back together, but following a party on August 20, 2021, where she received "numerous calls" from Marsh – who was away – she wanted to end the relationship.

On the afternoon of August 25, Mr Robinson had been to Chevrons Road to meet Ms Ward to take her and the children to the pub for a gathering, but Marsh was there.

Mr Robinson told the court Marsh seemed "chirpier than normal" and said he was "going to do it differently" in terms of his and Ms Ward's relationship, saying he would "not be pestering her" and "giving her a bit of space", adding he had "been too full on".

Asked by prosecutor Michael Jones what his reaction was to this, Mr Robinson said: "I had heard it too many times – for me it went in one ear and out the other."

That evening, as a gathering took place in the front garden of Ms Ward's home, Mr Robinson said Ms Ward was receiving calls "non stop" from Marsh.

Cross-examined by Christopher Tehrani QC, it was suggested when Marsh was feeling low, there "was no knife at the table". Mr Robinson replied: "Yes there was, there was no reason for me to lie."

Also giving evidence on day six of the trial was Charlie Dale who, the court heard, had begun to form a closer relationship with Ms Ward in the days before her death.

He said he began to know Ms Ward from her wedding day in 2019 and would socialise with her and friends on gatherings and special occasions. He would also socialise with Marsh, but less often.

He said Ms Ward was upset on August 20, 2021 at a party and he was told by a friend to talk to her. During that conversation, which took place in the corner of a garden, Ms Ward said she wanted to kiss him, but she was still in a relationship with Marsh.

He told the court he kissed her on the lips, and she kissed him back, and that was the first time they kissed.

In the days after that, he said they exchanged messages, mainly on Snapchat, but it was not until the evening of August 25, when he was at the gathering at Ms Ward's home, he was told Ms Ward had ended her relationship with Marsh on August 22.

At 9pm that night, Ms Ward had followed him into her bathroom and they kissed, which Mr Dale said was "instigated by her, more so this time". After they came downstairs together, Mr Robinson and his partner Taylor Wesley teased them about what may have gone on between the two, but they were not told.

Mr Dale said it was about midnight when everyone but him and Ms Ward had left, and they went to an outbuilding for "about 20-30 minutes", where he said they talked about their "plans for the future".

He said he explained to Ms Ward he still loved his former partner, despite them splitting up earlier that month, and they agreed to "take things slowly". During that time, they also kissed and Ms Ward looked "happy".

Cross-examined, it was suggested to Mr Dale he had actually been in a relationship with Ms Ward for several weeks, from about the middle of July.

Mr Dale replied: "No, it didn't happen."

Asked if there had been any rumours they were in a relationship at that time, Mr Dale replied: "No, I don't believe there was."

Mr Dale had said in a police statement that on the night of August 25, Ms Ward had received "about 15 calls" from Marsh, and "might have" answered "once or twice". Asked if that number of calls could have been lower, Mr Dale replied: "It could have been five or six, or it could have been 40. I picked a middle number."

Asked if, when Ms Ward and Mr Dale were alone that night, she performed a sex act on him, Mr Dale replied: "That is definitely not true."

Asked: "Did she tell you she liked you a lot?", Mr Dale replied: "Yes."

Mr Tehrani added: "And that she had developed strong feelings for you?", Mr Dale replied: "No."

The trial continues.