A woman has told of her disbelief when a man confessed to killing former university student Tim Hutcheon.

Christine Fever said Deke Partridge took hold of her and demonstrated stabbing motions in both sides and the chest.

But she said: “I didn’t believe him for a minute because he tells stories.”

Partridge is alleged to have stabbed Mr Hutcheon 10 times and left him for dead at his Chatham home on January 26. His body was not discovered until nine days later on February 4.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the two men were friends and Partridge, 27, was a frequent visitor at Mr Hutcheon’s bungalow in Dale Street.

The 34-year-old victim attended King’s School, Rochester, and graduated from Humberside University but then suffered drug-induced mental illness.

Partridge, of Manette House, Maidstone Road, Chatham, also suffered from mental health problems.

Mrs Fever told the jury of nine men and three women she had known Partridge for about 10 years, but did not know Mr Hutcheon so well.

She said Partridge called at her home in Haig Avenue, Gillingham, and told her he “went mad and done him”.

“He talking about Tim,” she said. “He said this boy Tim was a grass. He was making stabbing motions to the right and left and then to the centre of the chest.

“He was quite excited about what he had done. I didn’t believe him for a minute because he tells stories - that he has a Lamborghini and things like that.

“He said he stabbed him nine times. He just kept going over everything again and again. He said it happened in Tim’s hallway.

“He said he went into the house with somebody. He didn’t say who. He said the person left before the stabbing, I think.

“I didn’t ask how Tim was because I just didn’t believe him. He was so excited and jumping around. He didn’t think he was dead.”

Mrs Fever said the same day she went to a police station to answer bail in relation to drugs.

She later went to Dale Street. The next time she saw Partridge was on February 5 in Maidstone Road.

“I told him forensics were down there,” she said. “He said: 'That’s alright, I have paid them two grand each.”

Partridge denies murder, claiming it was committed by someone else unknown.

The trial continues.