Mum, 27, who hung pictures of serial killers in her home 'stabbed lover to death and showed friend his body on FaceTime'
16 January 2023, 20:00 | Updated: 17 January 2023, 03:43
A mum who had a fascination with serial killers and bondage murdered her boyfriend by slitting his throat out of jealously, a court has heard.
Shaye Groves, 27, slit the throat of her on-and-off partner Frankie Fitzgerald, 25, as he slept in her bed before trying to paint herself out to be the victim, her trial was told.
It is believed the couple shared an interest in BDSM and a camera was set up in her bedroom to record them having sex, where Groves hung framed pictures of serial killers.
Mr Fitzgerald, who had been seeing Groves on-and-off for six months, suffered a knife wound to his throat in the early hours of July 17 last year.
Steven Perian KC, prosecuting, told the jury: "Their sex life involved bondage, dominance, submission and masochism - in short form, BDSM.
"It is very likely she was obsessed with Frankie Fitzgerald because of his performance in the bedroom.
"The prosecution case is that the defendant is a manipulative, possessive and jealous woman and in the early hours of July 17 last year she stabbed Frankie Fitzgerald multiple times with a knife in her bedroom and left him to die without seeking any medical assistance to save his life.
"The killing of Frankie Fitzgerald is very likely to be a crime of passion driven by her jealousy."
Groves video-called a friend, Vicky Baitup, to confess to the killing and showed Mr Fitzgerald's body covered by a duvet, the court was told.
Read More: James Bulger's killer Jon Venables may never get out of prison under new law, victim's mum says
She is said to have told Ms Baitup that she had gone through Mr Fitzgerald's phone while he slept before snapping when she saw he had been messaging a 13-year-old girl online.
"The defendant told Vicky Baitup, 'I just lost it. I just lost it. I picked up my dagger and stabbed him in the neck'," Mr Perian said.
Groves also allegedly messaged Ms Baitup later that morning, claiming Mr Fitzgerald had left her house to walk home and said how she thought their relationship was over.
Ms Baitup turned to the police, who arrived at Groves' house where they found Mr Fitzgerald's body and recovered a knife from the bathroom sink, the court was told.
Police officers entering the property were wearing cameras, which recorded Groves detailing how Mr Fitzgerald had tried to attack her, and how she had footage of him raping her.
Jurors were also told how the murder of Mr Fitzgerald's murder was planned.
"The Crown say it doesn't matter whether Vicky Baitup thought it was a joke, but it provides an insight into this defendant's mind of her ability to plan an attack on Frankie Fitzgerald and engineer a situation whereby she would be considered a victim," Mr Perian said.
"This is what we suggest she did when she killed Frankie Fitzgerald."
He added: "Where would the defendant have got the insight from to plan the details of the attack and to make it look like she was the victim of an assault?
"The answer was provided by Vicky Baitup in her interview. The defendant has many gangster books like Charles Bronson in her bookcase."
Post-mortem tests showed Mr Fitzgerald "suffered catastrophic blood loss" from a knife wound to his neck and also had 17 stab wounds to his chest, which were inflicted as he was dying.
Jurors watched footage from the camera - set up in Groves' bedroom - which showed the pair engaging in sexual intercourse as Mr Fitzgerald spanked his partner.
Groves edited the footage before sending it to Ms Baitup, suggesting he had been violent to her before raping her. Police recovered the original footage, however, which Mr Perian argues portrays consensual sex.
Groves, who also goes by the surname Corrigan, of Botley Drive, Havant, denies murder.
The trial continues.
