A Polish teacher texted a man she was in a new relationship with an hour before being found dead in her former partner’s garden, a murder trial has heard.
A jury was today shown a series of text messages between Agnieszka Szefler and Mohammed Ali Abboud, who denies stabbing her to death at Bridge of Earn’s Horsemill Place on January 23.
The messages ran from November 2013 to the day of Miss Szefler’s death and covered their relationship and subsequent break-up.
Police analyst Evita O’Malley, 38, told the trial that the tone of the messages changed in October 2014 and seemed to be “showing difficulties between the pair as a couple.”
In November, Abboud texted: “I’m asking you to give me one chance, please for god sake.
“Can you see what you are doing to me xxx. Babi, what do I do to deserve this. I thought we are very happy.”
Miss Szefler replied: “I told you why. I’ve had enough of certain things and need some time to think about where our relationship is going.”
In December, the trial heard, Abboud texted Miss Szefler asking her to send him money to pay off a bill.
Later that month Miss Szefler told Abboud that she would be visiting Scotland on January 23.
She texted: “I’m not coming to patch things up. You have to understand that. I will come so that we can talk and explain some things.”
Abboud replied: “I understand that.”
On December 12, Miss Szefler told Abboud: “Ali, don’t make me feel guilty about what you are going through.
“I broke up with you. You may be angry with me and upset with me but you have to deal with it somehow.”
The following day she texted: “My love faded and disappeared. You are a good guy. It seemed the right one for me. Not anymore though.
“There is nobody that changed. I’m sorry, I hope you will be able to understand some day.”
The final exchanges between the pair discussed Miss Szefler’s flight to Scotland on January 23 and Abboud’s plan to pick her up at the airport.
Advocate depute Sheena Fraser asked Ms O’Malley if she formed the impression that Miss Szefler had begun another relationship with a person called Nakhoul following the split with Abboud.
Ms O’Malley agreed, saying messages between them had “taken a more romantic turn” at the beginning of 2015.
At 12.30pm on January 23, Miss Szefler texted Nakhoul: “Hey, I’m in Scotland now. Flight on time, will start packing soon.”
He replied: “Best of luck, you are determined.”
The trial heard he texted Miss Szefler again at 3.17pm but did not receive a reply.
The trial heard previously that Miss Szefler had gone to Abboud’s that day to collect her belongings.
Dr David Walker, 57, said Abboud had a number of incised wounds and scratches to his abdomen when he was examined in custody.
The advocate depute asked: “Did the police ask you in your opinion if these injuries could be self-inflicted?”
Dr Walker said: “It’s difficult to know if it is self-inflicted.
“Quite a number in the abdomen were running in the same direction, which I thought was a bit unusual.
“If it is during a struggle or altercation you would expect the pattern to be more haphazard with parties moving around.”
Dr Walker was asked if any of Abboud’s injuries looked like defence wounds and he replied they did not.
Abboud denies biting Miss Szefler repeatedly on the body, striking her repeatedly on the body with a knife or similar instrument, pursuing and straddling her, and again striking her repeatedly with a knife or similar instrument on January 23 at Horsemill Place, Bridge of Earn.
Abboud is then alleged to have washed blood from the knife and placed it under Miss Szefler’s body to give the appearance she had fallen on it.
It is then alleged that Abboud repeatedly struck himself on the body with a knife to give the appearance that he had been assaulted by Miss Szefler.
The trial at the High Court in Edinburgh before Lord Uist continues.