FOLLOW our live blog of the Nikitta Grender trial with our reporters sending updates from court.

Pregnant teenager Nikitta Grender was found dead at her Lliswerry home after a fire in February last year.

Carl Whant, 27, of no fixed address, stands accused of the rape and murder of Miss Grender on February 5 last year. He is also accused of arson and child destruction. He denies all the charges.

NIKITTA TRIAL UPDATES

See tomorrow's @southwalesargus for @ArgusAChalk's full coverage of the #nikitta Grender murder trial. More live coverage from me on Monday Fri Jan 20 19:46:35 2012
RT @ArgusAChalk: Read tomorrow's Argus for coverage of today's evidence in #nikitta trial. Follow @ArgusNCrockett on Monday when the tri ... Fri Jan 20 18:44:29 2012
#nikitta murder trial finished for today, adjourned until 10.30am Monday Fri Jan 20 15:07:01 2012
Evans: went downstairs to report the discovery and continued the search. Still thought there were 3 people in the flat #nikitta Fri Jan 20 15:00:51 2012
Evans: I felt the bottom of the bed and was about to search the area near it and I could see a body on the bed #nikitta Fri Jan 20 14:58:56 2012
Next pros witness is firefighter David Gareth Evans #nikitta Fri Jan 20 14:41:22 2012
Nicholls: a likely cause of the "bang" firefighters heard when in the flat was a window being blown out. But he can't be sure #nikitta Fri Jan 20 14:39:40 2012
Nicholls: when fire was extinguished a colleague discovered a body on the bed #nikitta Fri Jan 20 14:22:48 2012
Nicholls: flames in the main bedroom were towards the bed and corner where there was a baby's cot #nikitta Fri Jan 20 14:16:09 2012
Firefighter Mark Nicholls continues to give his evidence #nikitta Fri Jan 20 14:12:57 2012
Waiting for #nikitta trial to resume Fri Jan 20 14:09:24 2012
Trial breaking for lunch to start again at 2pm #nikitta Fri Jan 20 13:03:46 2012
Nicholls: heard a bang then saw flames coming from the bedroom further down the corridor #nikitta Fri Jan 20 13:01:21 2012
Nicholls: Had no idea at first where the smoke was coming from. Couldn't feel or see any flames, suggesting all doors were closed #nikitta Fri Jan 20 13:00:17 2012
Nicholls: thermal image camera was no use as it was steamed up #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:55:17 2012
Nicholls: opened the window to clear smoke. Visibility was poor, smoke was dense. They used torches and touch to get around #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:53:42 2012
Nicholls: went into smoke logged flat using breathing apparatus. Smoke alarm was still going off #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:48:21 2012
Nicholls: was told a husband, wife and child were inside the building on arrival at Broadmead Park. Could see blackened windows #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:44:09 2012
Nicholls was team leader at the fire that day #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:42:55 2012
Next pros witness is firefighter Mark Nicholls, now giving evidence #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:41:47 2012
This evidence from first pros witness, firefighter Rhys Thomas #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:31:21 2012
Thomas: on arrival it was reported there could be people in the building and he went to break the door down #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:28:34 2012
Thomas: a lot of dark and thick smoke was coming from upper flat window #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:23:17 2012
He and his crew were called from Maindee fire station on morning of Feb 5 to attend a fire at 51 Broadmead Park #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:22:32 2012
First live pros witness, firefighter Rhys Thomas is about to give evidence #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:20:58 2012
Whant denies in statement he went to Broadmead Park on Feb 5. He also denies #nikitta's rape and murder, court told Fri Jan 20 12:17:11 2012
Ryan Mayes told police that never happened #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:15:29 2012
In a defence statement read to the court Whant claims he had consensual sex with #nikitta on Feb 4 at her flat, while Ryan was there Fri Jan 20 12:14:56 2012
Pros claim there was a suggestion Whant had a "fixation" with #nikitta. He told police they had previously kissed but not had sex, jury told Fri Jan 20 12:12:31 2012
When told in interview his DNA was found at the scene, Whant said he felt too unwell to answer any more questions, jury hear #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:09:03 2012
Whant said in interview he thought the police had some how "set him up", jury told #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:06:57 2012
Whant didn't answer any questions in the first 6 interviews #nikitta Fri Jan 20 12:00:25 2012
Whant was interviewed 26 times by police between Feb 9 and Feb 12 #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:58:56 2012
That was the last time anyone saw her, court told #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:57:51 2012
#nikitta and a friend went driving to Newport and Cwmbran on the night of Feb 4 before she was dropped home around 1.15am Feb 5, jury hears Fri Jan 20 11:57:37 2012
Pros claim the only time they were alone was when he raped and murdered her on Feb 5 #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:50:32 2012
Police investigation found there was never a time when #nikitta and Whant were alone together in the week before her death, jury told Fri Jan 20 11:49:43 2012
Expert suggests something wet with #nikitta's blood was placed under the mat in the car and then removed Fri Jan 20 11:47:51 2012
#nikitta's DNA was also found in blood stain on the rubber floor mat in the foot well of Whant's Ford Focus, jury told Fri Jan 20 11:43:06 2012
It too matched #nikitta's DNA profile Fri Jan 20 11:37:52 2012
Jury told blood was also found on the inside of Whant's black jacket #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:36:25 2012
Tests found blood was #nikitta's Fri Jan 20 11:31:50 2012
Stains on left sleeve, front neck and on the back #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:30:06 2012
Jury shown photos of the shirt Whant wore that night. Dilute blood staining found, court told #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:29:22 2012
Everyone reassembled in court to resume trial #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:27:06 2012
The knife that killed #nikitta and her unborn baby has never been found, court told Fri Jan 20 11:17:23 2012
Trial adjourned for short break #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:16:40 2012
Jury told minor DNA from Ryan Mayes was found, consistent with his claims the couple had sex one and half days before her death #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:15:23 2012
Expert opinion deemed the semen found was deposited around the time of #nikitta's death, court told Fri Jan 20 11:12:52 2012
DNA taken from #nikitta's body after her death matched Whant's Fri Jan 20 11:11:55 2012
Whant's light blue shirt and black jacket he was wearing that night was taken by police. Car was also examined, jury told #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:08:20 2012
Pros claim the expert was satisfied it was Whant's car on CCTV the night #nikitta was killed Fri Jan 20 11:06:11 2012
They also used two similar cars to check if they could identify Whant's car out of the three caught on the CCTV #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:04:00 2012
Car experts did a reconstruction of the route in similar lighting and weather conditions using Whant's car to check CCTV footage #nikitta Fri Jan 20 11:01:57 2012
Jury told vehicle recognition expert examined CCTV and identified car as a light ford focus and spotted a faulty reg plate light #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:53:51 2012
When he returned to party Whant's car was parked facing a different direction than if he had come from his nan's house, jury told #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:44:06 2012
Car was travelling from west to east away from the city centre, court told #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:38:57 2012
Jury told registration plate lights and the positioning of stickers on the front windscreen identified Whant's car on CCTV #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:37:20 2012
CCTV showed Whant's car travelling in the opposite direction to where he said he had travelled, court told #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:29:56 2012
Whant also said the clothes he was wearing that night would have had old blood on them from previous fights, jury told #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:25:04 2012
Pros claim he was worried because he had no alibi for the time the fire started #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:24:08 2012
Whant told police he was worried because he was first told the fire started at 8am but later found it was 5am, court hears #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:22:53 2012
The next day police asked him if he would show them the route he took. It was a 2.1 mile journey which took just over 9 mins #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:16:50 2012
He didn't remember the journey back to the party because of the drink and drugs he had taken, court hears #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:15:21 2012
Whant told police he tried to avoid town centre and busy roads to get to his nan's house because he had been drinking, jury told #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:14:23 2012
Whant gave police the shoes and shirt he had been wearing on Feb 5. He told them they had been washed, court hears Fri Jan 20 10:12:02 2012
On Feb 6 police asked for Whant's phone, he agreed. He told police he went to nan's for cigarettes about 5am that morning, court told Fri Jan 20 10:11:15 2012
Jury have taken their seats. Prosecutor Gregg Taylor QC is about to continue the opening statement he started Wednesday #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:09:29 2012
He also denies charges of arson and child destruction in relation to her unborn baby who she had already named Kelsey-May #nikitta Fri Jan 20 10:06:48 2012
Carl Whant, 27, who denies the rape and murder of 19-year-old pregnant #nikitta has taken his place in the dock Fri Jan 20 10:05:40 2012
Another packed public gallery here today. Expecting a start soon #nikitta Fri Jan 20 09:57:45 2012
Back at Newport Crown Court today for day two of the #nikitta Grender murder trial. Follow me for live coverage Fri Jan 20 09:13:23 2012