A JEALOUS woman ranted about her former lover lying to her on the day he was attacked, a court heard.

Amanda Vinton worked with victim Michael Beckwith and murder suspect Rebecca Ryan at Connolly House Care Home in Weeley.

Speaking to the jury at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday she described him as "a cheeky chappie, always jolly and trying to make people laugh".

She said she bumped into Mr Beckwith and Ryan at the shops one day.

She said: "Michael said he was in a relationship with Rebecca but a lot of people disapproved because his ex-girlfriend was in hospital.

"I asked if he was happy, he said 'yes'.

“He said he was glad he finally had someone he could have trust in.

“She said they were going out for an expensive meal.

“He said ‘you can see who wears the trousers in our relationship’.”

She told the court Mr Beckwith was happy for a while but his mood changed and on July 30 he was hiding from Ryan after they had broken up.

That night, and the next day, on July 31, she spoke with Ryan about the break-up.

She told the jury: “I asked her if she was still seeing Michael. She said no because he was a liar.

“I said ‘what do you mean’, she said ‘we were in a car and he was getting text messages, I asked who they were from, he said it was someone he was arguing with’.

“Rebecca said she thought it was Sue Prior, Michael’s ex-girlfriend.

“She said when she confronted him he said it was all in her head.

“Rebecca said ‘I know it was Sue because I saw it and he deleted it and I saw her name’.

“She was in a little bit of a rant.

“A little bit of a tantrum.

“Then she said ‘I am not bothered’.

“I said ‘are you going to see him again'.

“She said ‘no’, it was finished.”

Ryan is accused of luring Mr Beckwith, 44, to be attacked by two men that night, on July 31 off Barrack Lane, Harwich.

Mr Beckwith, of Goodlake Close, Dovercourt, died on August 2.

Scott Swift, 27, of Station Road, Dovercourt, Joseph Smith, 18, of Canning Street, Harwich, and Rebecca Ryan, 22, of Hilltop Rise, Weeley, are charged with murder.

Ryan is also charged with perverting the course of justice.

It is alleged, between July 30 and August 24 last year, she falsely claimed she had also been attacked when the attack on Michael Beckwith took place.

Triston Biddlecombe, 24, and wife Enderlein Biddlecombe, 20, both of East Street, Harwich, both face one count of assisting alleged offenders Swift and Smith.

It is alleged they, between July 30 and August 3 and knowing or believing the pair had committed an offence, washed and burned clothing worn by Swift and Smith with intent to impede their apprehension.

They also face one count of perverting the course of justice by providing a false alibi for Swift.

All five deny the charges they are facing.

The trial continues.