Police chief's plea to daughter's killer

Rae Torbet was stabbed more than 15 times, the court heard

A senior police officer has told a court how he urged the alleged killer of his daughter to leave her alone.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Torbet wept as he told Lewes Crown Court how he telephoned Dellwyn James asking him to stop harassing 19-year-old Rae Torbet.

Mr James, 31, of Chiltern Drive, Hastings, denies murder.

It is alleged that he let himself into her flat in Cantelupe Road, Bexhill, East Sussex, on 27 March this year and attacked the teenager, stabbing her 15 times with two knives.

The court was told Mr James was jealous after splitting up with Miss Torbet - a bank worker and a part-time bar maid.

Attempted suicide

Miss Torbet's father said he only met Mr James once and spoke a couple of times on the telephone.

Shortly before his daughter's death, Mr Torbet said Mr James had attempted suicide with a paracetamol overdose.

Mr Torbet told the court: "I called him after the first time he allegedly tried to commit suicide.

"The conversation was generally that I was aware he had been bombarding Rae with text messages and telephone calls."

He said: "I told him what I thought of him, in terms of that he had been bad for my daughter.

"I advised him that my daughter was very young and that she needed space.

"He said he was madly in love with her and blamed her for his suicide attempt."

Mr Torbet said he called his daughter on the day she was killed.

He told the jury: "She was bubbly. She seemed happy and had a lot more confidence than she had had for a while."

The case continues.