A jealous Southampton man 'stabbed his former girlfriend to death' after seeing her on a Tinder date with another man, a court heard.
Cruise line worker Cristina Ortiz-Lozano was killed in a 'frenzied' attack at her home after being followed by former lover Abdelaziz El Yechioui Ourzat, prosecutors said.
A jury at Winchester Crown Court was today told how he had been caught on CCTV 'hiding in the shadows' outside the Giddy Bridge pub on London Road where she had gone with a man she had met on the popular dating app.
He then allegedly trailed the couple as they returned to her house in Spear Road, Portswood before following her inside and stabbing her 23 times with a kitchen knife while her date waited outside.
Prosecutor Kerry Maylin told the court that Ourzat, 30, was 'a jealous ex-boyfriend in a fit of rage who conducted a frenzied attack on her, quite simply because she had gone out with a male, not Mr Ourzat, on the night of the killing'.
READ MORE
The jury heard that the couple met at school in Spain and had been together for about 12 years before Miss Ortiz-Lozano broke off the relationship when Ourzat was arrested for drink driving in August 2019.
Ms Maylin said she 'couldn't deal with his volatility and his drunkenness' any longer.
At the time, they were living together she was working for the Norwegian Cruise Line. Mr Ourzat was a baggage handler for Port Skills at the city docks.
The court heard that when Spaniard Miss Ortiz-Lozano told Ourzat to leave, he went on a rampage around the house, damaging the bedroom and bathroom they shared, ripping light fixtures and radiators out of the walls.
He was arrested for criminal damage and then allegedly breached his bail by sending her emails in which he called her a 'whore'.
Following the breakup, Miss Ortiz-Lozano met another man on Tinder and went on a date with him on September 21 2019 to Sprinkles ice cream parlour and the Giddy Bridge pub.
Ms Maylin showed the jury CCTV images of Ourzat watching the couple as they sat outside the pub and said he was 'hiding in the shadows' so that they did not see him.
The court heard how he went to Tesco, bought some flowers and took these to Miss Ortiz-Lozano's house, before returning to the pub and going inside.
Ms Maylin said that Miss Ortiz-Lozano saw him and immediately asked her date if they could leave.
READ MORE
- Murder investigation launched after body found in Spear Road address
- Southampton man charged with murder after woman found stabbed to death
On the way back to her house she explained that she had seen her 'abusive' ex-boyfriend and that he wasn't allowed near her due to his bail conditions.
"Mr Ourzat clearly followed them," Ms Maylin said. "He is seen on CCTV following them on the opposite side of the street and he loiters or hangs back at road crossings."
Ms Maylin told the jury that when Miss Ortiz-Lozano went inside her house she was followed by Mr Ourzat. Her date was unsure what to do so he stood outside the doors but, on hearing shouting and screaming, he went inside.
"He saw Miss Ortiz-Lozano already lying on her back on the kitchen floor, with Mr Ourzat crouching over her with a knife in one hand and his other on her throat," Ms Maylin said.
"She had her eyes open but he believed her already dead, she was not moving.
"He described Mr Ourzat turning towards him, shutting the door and continuing his assault on Cristina Ortiz-Lozano."
She added that Cristina Rodriguez-Lopez, Miss Ortiz-Lozano's friend and house mate, was asleep but was awoken by 'loud voices' and heard Mr Ourzat screaming Miss Ortiz-Lozano's name 'as if he was calling her back'.
There were three Air BnB guests staying at the house and one of them had pushed their wooden bed up against the door in fear, the court heard.
The court heard how Miss Ortiz-Lozano suffered stab wounds to her chest, neck and abdomen and had 'defensive' wounds on her arms, 'where she raised her arms in front of her body in an attempt to protect her torso and her neck'.
Ms Maylin said that Ourzat - who is being assisted in court by a Spanish translator - had told the police that Miss Ortiz-Lozano had invited him into her house before they got into an argument. He denied following her that night and alleged that she had stabbed him first.
He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
The trial continues.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article