Doctor murder charge 'an insult'

Dr Anyetei's body was found in her car with 56 stab wounds

A law student charged with murdering a Kent doctor who acted as his guardian has told a court the accusation was a "disgusting insult".

David Quartey, 22, of Humber Road, Dartford, denies murdering consultant paediatrician Victoria Anyetei, 54.

Dr Anyetei was stabbed 56 times in her car in Teynham Road, Dartford, on 14 August last year as she left for work at St Thomas's Hospital in London.

"Accusing me...is like accusing me of killing my mother," Mr Quartey said.

"That's disgusting, that is an insult. I didn't attack her, I didn't stab her, I didn't kill her."

Mr Quartey appeared upset as he took the witness box for the second day at Maidstone Crown Court.

Why would I kill someone because I failed an exam? What is that gonna solve? David Quartey

The prosecution claims Mr Quartey, who was staying with Dr Anyetei and her son, stabbed her after he "snapped" from the pressure of failing his exams.

They say he tried to lure her son, Andrew Thompson, outside two hours later so he would be the first to find her body in her Toyota car on the driveway.

That failed, so he pretended to find the body himself.

Anthony Haycroft, for the prosecution, suggested Mr Quartey got in the car next to Dr Anyetei to cover up any forensic evidence that would have pointed to him being the killer.

Mr Quartey's DNA was found in several places in the car, some of it mixed with the doctor's blood.

'Own wrongdoing'

He told the court this was because he tried to resuscitate her when he saw her slumped over in the driver's seat.

"I did what I could to help her," he said.

Mr Haycroft put it to Mr Quartey that he murdered the consultant paediatrician to stop her sending his exam results to his family in Ghana.

But the defendant said he would not murder someone because of his own wrongdoing.

"I was disgusted in myself. Why would I kill someone because I failed an exam? I was to blame for it, what is that gonna solve?"

Mr Quartey said a bite mark on his finger, which the prosecution argues was inflicted by a struggling Dr Anyetei, was the result of him biting himself because of shock.

The trial continues.

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