A man charged with murdering his partner in Belfast allegedly went straight from her home to visit a transvestite escort, the High Court heard today.
Prosecutors claimed Chris Morelli killed Hollie Thomson, 28, after taking cocaine and then drove to the arranged meeting for sexual services.
The 31-year-old accused of Willowvale Avenue in the city was granted bail.
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Ms Thomson’s body was discovered in the bedroom of her home in the Greenan area on September 11 this year, reports Belfast Live.
Preliminary medical examinations identified suffocation and a fractured neck as a possible cause of death.
But defence lawyers challenged the evidence to sustain a murder charge, predicting that toxicology reports would instead support their case that it had been a drug overdose.
The court heard Ms Thomson had been out at a social club with Morelli on the night before she died.
When her sister went to the defendant’s home the following morning to ask what had happened, he was covered in blood from self-inflicted wounds and initially refused to answer questions, according to the prosecution.
Crown lawyer Natalie Pinkerton claimed Morelli then said the couple argued and had consensual sex before he left the house.
He allegedly described Ms Thomson as shaking when he departed, likening it to her having a fit, but added that he didn’t know what to do.
It was disclosed that a transvestite escort had told police they received a WhatsApp message from a man named Christopher in the early hours of September 11 to arrange a one-hour visit.
Claiming that contact was made by Morelli, Ms Pinkerton contended that he drove to the appointment while under the influence of drugs.
A bag of cocaine was said to have fallen from his pocket as he took his trousers off at that meeting.
“The applicant did not remain in that property for an hour, as he was unable to pay, however he was in the property for approximately 10 minutes,” the barrister submitted.
“During that period a sex toy was used on the applicant and he left shortly after 5am.”
Interjecting at that point, defence barrister Joe Brolly questioned the relevance of what he labelled “entirely gratuitous” submissions.
But Ms Pinkerton responded that it demonstrated an inability to control risk-taking behaviour.
“Not satisfied with what occurred in that bedroom with Ms Thomson he immediately left, on his own account when Ms Thomson was having a fit, and proceeded directly to an individual for sexual services,” she claimed.
During the hearing Mr Brolly argued that Morelli should not have been charged amid continued uncertainty over the cause of death.
“There is insufficient evidence to maintain this case as it stands,” he said.
“I’m extremely conscious that a young lady has lost her life, but a young man’s life has also been thrown into turmoil.”
Mr Justice Fowler was told that a toxicology report will be available at the end of this month.
Despite acknowledging those results may raise questions about suffocation being a possible cause of death, the judge held there is currently a prima facie case against the accused.
Bail was granted to Morelli under strict conditions, which include a ban on taking alcohol or non-prescription drugs.
Imposing an exclusion zone, Mr Justice Fowler further ordered: “There is to be no contact with any members of the deceased’s family.”
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