Janice Carter denies murder at Canterbury Crown Court

by Paul Hooper

A close examination of a recording of a 999 call holds the key to the killing of a Margate man, a murder jury has been told.

It was made by the sister of Janice Carter, 28, who is accused of stabbing to death her partner Kevin Carter last year.

Mrs Carter - who denies murder - ran to the home of Michelle Cheney, in Zion Place, Margate, after the attack.

While Mrs Cheney is speaking to an operator, mum-of-two Mrs Carter, of Sweyn Road, was recorded talking about what had happened.

Christopher May, prosecuting, told the jury at Canterbury Crown Court that her claim she could not recall much of the incident in which Mr Carter suffered 26 separate injuries was "just not credible".

In the phone call, Mrs Carter tells her sister how her partner had said: "Please Jan don't!" as she attacked him with the kitchen knife.

"Are those the words of a man who is about to attack her or a man pleading for his life?" said Mr Carter.

"She says: 'Then I stabbed him in the face one more time.' Then her sister mentions the children and Mrs Carter reacts by saying: 'I love my kids... I was only doing it for my kids.'

"she knew that she had killed him and the crown say that she has changed her account...” – christopher may, prosecuting

"Shortly afterwards she said: 'I saw him die'. Her sister says: 'He's alright. He might be alright then' but (Mrs Carter) replies: 'No he's not' and then goes on to say: 'Because I waited. I was with him'," said the prosecutor.

In the recording of the emergency call, Mrs Carter is then heard to tell her sister: 'Michelle, I said: 'Please wake up...please wake up...please wake up'. He wouldn't wake up.'

Mr May told the jury: "What she says is not what she has said to you. She said that she didn't know that he was dead and that she had ran off immediately afterwards with him still moving. It is simply not the same, is it, to say that she waited and said 'Please wake up'?

"She knew that she had killed him and the Crown say that she has changed her account and the reason is that she actually has not told the truth, either to the police or to you."

Mr Carter died from his injuries just hours after being released from a prison sentence for driving offences.

The case continues.