Norfolk murder victim feared partner was going to kill her

Tara Kershaw, 33, was discovered dead by police at her property in Princes Road, Great Yarmouth, after her partner Adam Barnard went up to police officers in the town and told them: "I think I killed my partner".

Adam Barnard (inset) and police at Great Yarmouth murder scene (Image: Facebook/Newsquest) She died from compression of the neck although the post-mortem examination revealed evidence of "two episodes" of previous fractures to the larynx or voice box.

Barnard, 41, has gone on trial at Norwich Crown Court accused of murdering Miss Kershaw, who he had been in a "volatile" relationship with, in the early hours of January 19 this year.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest) On Monday, the court heard a number of previous 999 calls Miss Kershaw had made to police in the weeks before her death claiming she had been attacked by Barnard.

These included November 24, January 1, 5 and 6.

In a 999 call to police on January 6, Miss Kershaw said "he" was going to "come and beat her up" and kill her. 

When police came to visit her after the emergency call she told officers "I'm scared for my life" and she thought she might get "killed tonight".

She told officers that Barnard had told her gone for her throat as it is not as easy to see the bruises.

Police at Prnces Road, Great Yarmouth (Image: Newsquest) Telling officers about an incident that she said occurred the previous day, Miss Kershaw said Barnard said "I'm going to kill you".

She said he told her "I'm going to snap your neck".

She said: "He was strangling me - he was trying to kill me."

Miss Kershaw told officers Barnard told her "If I can't have you, no-one else will have you.

"He went on trying to kill me."

She said he made threats against her "lots" and had tried to strangle her "every week".

She told officers she was "frightened" and "100pc" thought he might kill her. 

Barnard, of Princes Road, Yarmouth, has denied murder and manslaughter.

The trial continues.