Friend who found Naomi Hunte's body gives evidence

Naomi, 41, was found dead in her flat on February 14, 2022, from a single stab wound to her chest. 

Carl Cooper is on trial accused of murdering Naomi as well as 48-year-old Fiona Holm, who went missing in June 2023 and has never been found.   

On Thursday morning (June 6), the third day of Cooper’s trial, the jury were shown police body worn footage of the fourth and final time police attended Naomi’s flat over reports that Cooper had been harassing her. 

The friend who found Naomi dead also gave evidence. 

Naomi Hunte and Fiona Holm

'Please look for him’ 

Naomi called police to her flat on Congleton Grove four times, complaining that Cooper was harassing her. 

Footage captured the fourth time – at around 2.30am on October 26, 2021 – was shown to the jury. The footage showed Naomi telling police "he's begging for sex, because I won't have sex with him he started shouting at me". 

"We've had to physically throw him out as he refused to leave." 

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Cooper was heard shouting on the footage but appeared to have run off when police arrived. 

"Please look for him because he's going to come back when you leave," Naomi told police. 

"If there was no one around and police weren't around I'm sure he would force himself on me.” 

She told officers Cooper’s behaviour was getting worse, he was being aggressive and more persistent. 

He was very controlling and would constantly be watching everything he does, she said. 

"When I tried to get rid of him before he stalked me for weeks. Waiting for me at the bus stop," she said. 

'I was shocked’ 

The man who found Naomi dead in her flat on February 14 was then called to give evidence. 

He told the court he and Naomi had been friends for around two years. 

He said he had been trying to contact Naomi for a number of days but couldn’t get through. 

"I decided to go around and knock on her door, see if she's ok," he said. 

He arrived at her flat at 8pm on February 14 to find her door was wide open. 

"I was a bit surprised as she never left her door open in that way," he said. "First of all I shouted hello, hello, are you ok?" 

When he got no reply he decided to go in, he said. 

"When I turned to the left of the kitchen I saw blood and I was shocked," he said. "I was scared and turned around and saw my friend." 

He described how she looked pale and was unresponsive, lying on the sofa. 

He left her flat to call an ambulance, as there was no reception in her flat, and Naomi was pronounced dead. 

The witness was then asked if he had killed Naomi.

Defence barrister Narita Bahra said: "I am going to ask the same question to everyone who had access to Ms Hunte between February 8 and February 14. Did you intentionally assault or hurt Ms Hunte between February 8 and February 14, 2022?"

He replied: "No."

Prosecutor Joel Smith then says: "Really, what Ms Bahra asked you is, did you kill Ms Hunte?"

Again, the witness replied: "No."

The trial continues.