Trial of bookie accused of raping, murdering Adelaide doctor’s daughter India Chipchase starts

THE man accused of raping and strangling an Australian doctor’s daughter working in the UK lured her with the promise of getting her home.

India Chipchase (right) with her father, Adelaide doctor Jeremy Chipchase.

A MIDDLE-AGED bookkeeper promised a young Aussie barmaid that he would get her home safely but instead raped and murdered her, a British court heard yesterday.

Edward Tenniswood, 51, was arrested after the body of India Chipchase, 20, was found by police at his home in Stanley Rd, Northampton on January 31.

A post-mortem examination found she had been strangled.

The bookie has pleaded not guilty to raping and killing Ms Chipchase, who is the daughter of Adelaide gynaecologist and obstetrician Jeremy Chipchase, claiming she agreed to sex and that her death was a “dreadful accident”.

However, blood was found under Ms Chipchase’s fingernails, indicating she had fought hard for her life, Birmingham Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Chris Donnellan QC said Tenniswood had cornered a “paralytic drunk” Ms Chipchase outside a cocktail bar after she had become separated from friends during a night out on January 30.

“It was while in this fairly pickled state that the defendant arrived outside (the bar). It had not been too long when he spotted India and went up to her,” Mr Donnellan said.

“Others who saw them thought he knew her. He did not. He was overheard to be saying: ‘Not to worry, I will get you home safe’. He did not.”

India Chipchase was ‘falling over drunk’ when middled-aged bookie Edward Tenniswood bundled her into a cab on the pretext of ‘getting her home safe’.

India Chipchase had been working as a barmaid in Northampton.

The court watched CCTV footage of Ms Chipchase, unsteady on her feet, being approached by Tenniswood. Shortly after, he bundled her into a taxi, giving the driver the address of his home, located about 1.5km from the bar.

“You can see the defendant is speaking very close to her face, quite intrusively,” Mr Donnellan told the jury.

“He then took her by the arm, as if taking possession, and doesn’t let go from that moment.”

Mr Donnellan said Ms Chipchase was raped and killed soon after arriving at Tenniswood’s “grim terraced house”.

“When she resisted him, because he was determined to have sex, he grabbed her round the throat and squeezed and held her like that until she could resist no more,” he said.

“She appears to have put up a struggle, there was blood under the fingernails of her right hand.”

Mr Donnellan said Tenniswood would claim his victim consented to sex and that her death was “an accident”.

“Her death was no dreadful accident because obviously if it had been, the defendant would have called an ambulance or started CPR, or asked for help — of which there was no sign,” he said.

“He removed her belongings, placing them around the house — they were inconspicuous.

“He was fully aware of what he was doing and put on a pair of plastic gloves — they were later found in a bag of rubbish. Her blood was on the outside and his DNA was on the inside.”

A courtroom sketch of murder accused Edward Tenniswood by artist Elizabeth Cook.

India Chipchase, 20, was the daughter of Adelaide gynaecologist and obstetrician Jeremy Chipchase.

Ms Chipchase’s body was found under a sheet on a mattress at his house on January 31 after Northampton police forced their way in by breaking down the door.

The court heard Tenniswood was not home at the time, having checked into a local Ibis hotel where he had been reading online articles about Ms Chipchase’s disappearance.

When police tracked him down there later that day he allegedly told them: “I’m surprised you were so quick, it didn’t take you long to find me. I suppose you’ve been to the house — you’ve found what you’re looking for.”

The arresting officers also noted a scratch to his neck and marks on his arms and legs when he was arrested.

A coronial inquest held in February heard that a post-mortem examination found Ms Chipchase died from “pressure to the neck”.

It has been reported that Ms Chipchase was turned away from the nightclub because she was too drunk to enter.

She worked as a barmaid at the Collingtree Pub in Northampton, where flowers and cards were left by co-workers, friends and patrons as a tribute after her death.

India Chipchase was dating Kiwi rugby player Evaan Reihana (pictured), who dedicated his career to her after the murder. Picture: Facebook

India Chipchase’s murder in January made front page news in the UK

According to The Advertiser, she was privately educated at Pitsford School and was awarded a diploma in health and social care at Northampton College.

Her father, Dr Chipchase, has lived in Adelaide for a decade and is known for his work on the management of spontaneous miscarriages.

He is listed as a senior doctor at Lyell McEwin Hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology department and also mentors junior doctors in his field.

Ms Chipchase’s brother Harry, is a popular former Underdale High School student who has moved back to the UK to live with his mother and sisters Pia, 15, and Honor, 11.

The tragedy made front-page news in Britain and Ms Chipchase’s boyfriend, professional rugby player Evaan Reihana, said he would dedicate his career to her.

The trial continues.