Eyewitness describes Winter's final moments

Dubai: A primary witness on Thursday described to a court how South African Kerry Winter pleaded for his help before dying of her injuries after allegedly being beaten by a British suspect.

The Lebanese witness, Z.T., who was the last person to see 36-year-old Winter alive after he found her on the floor of her villa in Barsha, testified before the Dubai Court of First Instance.

"Her head was cracked open and bleeding heavily and the minute I stepped out of the villa compound's door, she looked at me and spoke in a strange voice. I couldn't understand exactly what she murmured, but she stretched her arms towards me in an appeal for help".

"Suddenly, I sensed movement to my left and when I turned I saw the British suspect and he tried to batter me with a baseball bat," Z.T. said.

Presiding Judge Hamad Abdul Latif Abdul Jawad asked the witness to look at the 42-year-old British suspect, M.A., and confirm whether he was the person who tried to beat him with a baseball bat.

"Yes your honour, he is the one. When I saw him, I assumed that he was the one who beat the woman. Instantly, I leaped backwards, opened the door and went into the main hall.

"He followed me inside and tried to hit me again& I stopped at my doorstep and he stopped too and I could see his face clearly. Yes, definitely it was him," replied Z.T. after having a look at M.A., who stood in the dock.

The 42-year-old suspect had earlier denied deliberately killing the South African woman, tying weights to her body and dumping it in the sea. "I am not guilty," he said.

The witness also told the court he had heard loud screams and that when he went out to check on the noise he saw his Egyptian neighbour.

"He went to investigate on the first floor and I checked on the ground level& I saw her lying in a pool of blood. After the suspect chased me, he turned and left.

"When my neighbour and I walked out, we saw blood marks that suggested someone had carried the body to a car," the Lebanese witness said.

During this testimony, M.A, was seen murmuring to himself in a low voice, saying "lies".

The Egyptian neighbour, A.M., confirmed Z.T.'s testimony and claimed that he had heard him shouting "he killed her" twice.

The trial continues.