Accused murderer says he 'bonded' with woman before her death
The man accused of murdering the daughter of a prominent Adelaide doctor has said he ‘bonded’ with the 20-year-old before she ‘accidentally’ died.
India Chipchase was enjoying a night out with friends in the UK town of Northampton when she became separated from her friends.
She had been drinking and was reportedly in an extremely drunken state when she was refused entry into a cocktail bar in the early hours of January 30.
It was then that 52-year-old Edward Tenniswood approached her.
To other people on the crowded street, it appeared as though the two knew each other as Tenniswood put his arm around India and promised her that he would “get her home safe”.
36 hours later India’s lifeless body was found under a sheet inside his apartment.
In his murder trial on Tuesday, Tenniswood denied killing the barmaid instead describing himself as “quite chivalrous”, according to the Mirror.
He claims they had consensual sex after she agreed to come back to his place.
“We kind of bonded because she had been refused, I had been refused [entry]. A little bond that we had both had crappy evenings,” he told the court.
He claimed India had an emotional outburst outside the club, looking at her phone and expressing anger towards her friends.
“I just felt sorry for her, I’m a tactile person, and I sort of put my arm around her in a paternal way.
“I kind of said: ‘I’m sure everything’s going to be fine’. I was just thinking: ‘India, calm down and stop crying because this is upsetting me’.
“I said to her: ‘Well you know, I’m going to get a lift home and drink at my place and you are very welcome to come if you want to’.
“She said yes and sort of looked up and her demeanour changed then, like, you know, half smiling.”
He then put her into a taxi and directed the driver to his unit about one and a half kilometres away.
A neighbour recalled seeing Tenniswood “leading” a stumbling woman into the unit.
Tenniswood said he was polite towards his ‘guest’.
“I opened the door and held it, I’m quite chivalrous - lady goes in first, man behind - I close the door.”
He then described the final moments of India’s life, saying they “bonded” over wine and a joke after she tossed her phone onto the floor.
“Obviously everyone knows Steve Jobs and I said something like: ‘Steve Jobs, bless him, will not be happy with you’.
“She sort of liked that...I said: ‘We’re sorry Steve’ and that’s when we laughed and she looked up and she said: ‘We are really sorry Steve’.
“This is how the bond grew. We just looked at each other and just smiled.”
Prosecutors disputed Tenniswood’s claims, saying he steered her into the taxi to his home where she attempted to fight him off.
Blood was later found under a fingernail on her right hand.
It’s alleged he strangled and raped her during the struggle, before ‘reclothing’ her and wrapping her in a sheet.
India was living in the UK with her mother while her father, gynaecologist and obstetrician Jeremy Chipchase, lives in Adelaide.
She was dating professional rugby player Evaan Reihana, who has dedicated his career to his lost love.
The trial continues.
