THE neighbour of a woman who stabbed her ex-boyfriend to death in bed saw two men acting “untoward” as they removed a pink-coloured mattress from her house, a court heard.

Rosemary Backshall entered the witness box yesterday in the trial of Edward Adamson, 74, from Hove.

He is accused of perverting the court of justice by helping to dispose of a bloody mattress, on which his daughter Julia Adamson stabbed to death ex-boyfriend Robert Kavanagh at her flat in Hove in 1999.

Giving evidence at Hove Crown Court for the prosecution Ms Backshall told the court she saw two men acting “untoward” carrying a “pinky” mattress two days after the killing in Downland Drive Hove, on June 24, 1999.

The Crown claims Adamson and his son Grant wilfully disposed of a bloodied mattress knowing it to be evidence of the killing.

Relying heavily on her original statement from 19 years ago, Ms Backshall told the court: “I saw two blokes going into Julia’s house. I was glancing out at them. It was untoward, unexpected I guess.

“They were wearing protective blue suits, almost like forensic suits rather than overalls.

“I had not seen them before. They went under the archway out of sight. Almost immediately two men came back from the direction of Julia’s front door carrying a mattress by their sides.”

She said they then bundled it into an estate car, adding: “My overall impression was they were quite business-like. They knew what they were doing and they were in quite a hurry.”

The court also heard from former Sussex Police officer Paul Norlund, who visited Edward Adamson’s house on Saturday, June 26, 1999.

He told the court Edward Adamson told him he had dropped off furniture at Julia’s flat, but did not take anything away. He said Adamson changed his story at Hove Police Station a day later admitting he did take a “knackered bed” to the Sheepcote tip.

Responding to defence barrister Pierce Power’s suggestion that on that Saturday Adamson was never asked by police if he went to the flat. Mr Norlund replied: “I would say that is not true.”

The detective was also asked why he called Adamson an “honest man” in a third interview on June 28, 1999. Mr Norlund replied: “It was worded to try and draw from him an answer.”

The court also heard Mr Norlund’s original notebook, with notes from the conversation on June 26 had not been located.

Adamson, of Hangleton Valley, Hove, denies one count of perverting the court of justice.

The trial continues.