A man accused of killing his lover after discovering messages to and from other men on his phone began to make plans to go to Russia in the days after his death, a court heard.

Aaron Ray is alleged to have stabbed his boyfriend, Jason Brockbanks, in his student flat in Newcastle, having discovered the messages on his phone, shortly after 4.14am, on Saturday September 24, last year.

Newcastle Crown Court has heard that Mr Ray left the Mansion Tyne complex, in Howard Street, at 4.17am and walked to the city centre, taking a taxi from a rank outside the Central Station to travel to his parents’ home in Sunderland, arriving there at 5am.

It was more than three days later, in late afternoon on Tuesday September 27, after Mr Brockbanks’ concerned parents in Whitehaven, in Cumbria, contacted the accommodation provider, having not heard from their son for several days, that a member of staff at Mansion Tyne went to his fourth-flooor rom and found his body, wearing only blood-stained underwear, in the shower cubicle of en-suite bathroom.

Read more: Sunderland man on trial for murder of Jason Brockbanks in Newcastle

Pathological evidence confirmed the 24-year-old Northumbria University student died from a stab wound to the right side of his torso which severed blood vessels in his intestines. He was also stabbed twice to his upper back.

When Mr Ray was arrested, at his parents’ home in the early hours of September 29, he claimed in his police interviews that Mr Brockbanks came at him, after being confronted about the messages on his phone.

Mr Ray said that as Mr Brockbanks grabbed hold of him, he reached out for a knife on a desk top and used it in a slashing motion to fend him off.

But he said Mr Brockbanks continued to shout for him to leave, so he gathered his things and left the flat, to return to his parents’ home.

Read more: Sunderland student remains in custody pending March murder trial

Telecommunications evidence presented to the jury, by prosecution counsel David Lamb KC, revealed that Mr Ray had been in touch with a Russian man, Sergei Maximox, for some time prior to the incident.

The court heard Mr Ray would use Google translation to respond in Russian.

In the hours after the alleged killing the court was told messages were exchanged between the defendant and Mr Maximov, in which Mr Ray asked if there was a way he could go to Russia, wondering if it was possible by flying via Belgrade (in Serbia).

Mr Maximov responded that he would be able to find out within a few days, to which the defendant said: “Thank you, but I would really like to come”, and his Russian friend replied that he would do everything he could to help him.

Asked if he was sure he wanted to travel to Siberia, he said he had 6,000 Euros to pay for his travel and other expenditure, which he was told was, “more than enough”.

Mr Ray then said: “Let’s do it”, and Mr Maximov replied: “See you soon.”

Asked by Mr Maximov if his boyfriend would mind him travelling to Russia, Mr Ray replied: “He doesn’t need to mind. He’s not here anymore.”

Mr Maximov said he took that to mean they had split up, to which Mr Ray replied: “Da” (Russian for ‘yes’).

A former boyfriend of Mr Ray told the trial that their relationship ended when the defendant found messages on his phone from other men.

In cross-examination from defence counsel Toby Hedworth KC, he confirmed that Mr Ray reacted angrily to that, but only verbally and not in a physically violent manner.

The ex-boyfriend said: “He was very verbal, but not violent.

“He could be very unpleasant in terms of things he might say.

“With the messages, unpleasant as it was, that was all it was.”

Read next:

               Jason Brockbanks murder: Sunderland man, 21, denies killing student

               Newcastle student murder: Sunderland man, 21, appears in court

               Man in court charged with murder of Northumbria University student

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He also confirmed that the defendant had a long-held liking of Russia, with an almost “romantic” view of the country, its music and art, and had expressed a longing to travel there.

Mr Ray, 21, of Mayfield Road, South Hylton, Sunderland, denied a charge of murder.

The trial continues tomorrow (Wednesday March 15).