Collin Reeves murdered his neighbours after a long-running dispute over parking spaces, a court hears.
Image source, Jennifer Chapple
A former soldier stabbed a married couple in their home while their children slept upstairs using the ceremonial dagger given to him when he left the Army, a court has heard.
Collin Reeves is accused of murdering Stephen and Jennifer Chapple in Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset, on 21 November.
Mr Reeves, 34, had been involved in a long-running dispute with the couple over parking spaces, a court heard.
He denies their murder but admits manslaughter.
Bristol Crown Court heard Mr Reeves launched a frenzied minute-long attack on the couple in their living room, stabbing both “multiple times”.
Mrs Chapple, 33, suffered six stab wounds to her upper chest and shoulder, causing fatal injuries to a major blood vessel and her heart, prosecutor Adam Feest QC said.
Her 36-year-old husband was found close to the rear door and had also suffered six stab wounds, as well as three other minor injuries.
Image source, Facebook
On the night of the killing, Mr Reeves climbed the fence separating his garden from the victims’, and entered via the back door of their home on Dragon Rise.
The jury was shown a clip from the Chapple’s back door camera of Mr Reeves climbing their fence and entering via the back door.
A few seconds later Mrs Chapple can be heard screaming in terror.
Mr Feest said neither had any defensive injuries, indicating the speed of the attack.
Mr Reeves claims he was suffering an “abnormality of mental functioning” and jurors were told it will be their job to decide whether this was true.
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