Boyfriend of EastEnders actress 'stabbed man to death in phone row'

Former Eastender: Nicola Cowper, whose boyfriend Tony McCann allegedly stabbed a man to death in a row over a phone

Heroin addict Tony McCann, long-term partner of Nicola Cowper who played Gina Williams in the BBC soap, is accused of murdering 33-year-old Luke Hodge by knifing him in the back.

Within half an hour of the attack, the 48-year-old turned up at the home of Miss Cowper's parents where she was staying, soaked in blood and covered in cuts.

He told her mother that "he had had a fight and that it was bad".

But according to prosecuting counsel Mark Dennis QC: "She (Nicola) adopted the 'I don't want to know what happened,' approach."

And later when police were hunting McCann ? the father of her five-year- old twin daughters ? she failed to tell officers that phone calls she received in their presence had been from him, the court heard.

Miss Cowper, 40, who also played DS Helen Diamond in the TV series Dangerfield between 1996 and 1999, is due to give evidence today.

The attack was in part revenge for what McCann saw as the persistent bullying and intimidation of his friends by Mr Hodge, it was alleged.

Just days before he had angrily accused him of stealing his phone, the court heard.

Mr Dennis said: "The defendant's attack upon Hodge was undoubtedly a deliberate act of vengeance.

"He had taken a knife with him and taken the precaution of wearing a full face mask, dark glasses and latex gloves.

"What upset him most was that he regarded Hodge as a bully who took advantage of people.

"He had even complained to the local police telling an officer, 'The bullying has gone on for far too long and something has to be done.'"

The court was told that at 7am on July 27, 2006, McCann kicked in the front door of the flat where Mr Hodge was staying in Twickenham, West London, and stormed into his bedroom.

There was a struggle during which the mask was lifted from his face and McCann is said to have screamed: "I'm going to kill him."

According to the prosecution, he then plunged the 6in knife deep into his victim's back, piercing his lung and severing a major artery.

Mr Hodge struggled to the back garden and collapsed while McCann made his escape, initially fleeing to a friend's flat where he boasted of what he had done, it was alleged.

"He was not abashed by what he had done," said Mr Dennis. "He was proud and boastful. He said to a friend, 'That'll teach him to f*** about with me.'"

McCann then made his way to Miss Cowper's parents' house where she had been staying.

"He arrived covered in blood,' said Mr Dennis. "He was extremely anxious. He didn't volunteer what had happened."

Miss Cowper gave him some money and a lift in her car, dropping him off near a friend's house, he added.

When she returned, the police were waiting for her. Mr Dennis said: "He telephoned her twice from a golf course while the police were at her home, but she did not let on that the defendant was on the line."

A few hours later he was arrested in Twickenham. During police interviews, McCann ? who denies murder ? failed to respond to questions, the court was told.

The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, continues.

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