FOLLOW our live blog of the Nikitta Grender trial with our reporters sending updates from 10.00am today. Miss Grender's boyfriend Ryan Mayes is expected to give evidence at the trial today.

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.

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#nikitta trial finished for today. Starting again on Tuesday morning. See @ArgusAChalk's full write up in tomorrow's @southwalesargus Fri Feb 03 16:32:29 2012
Daniel Matthews' evidence has finished #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:31:31 2012
Kinch: I think your memory of all this isn't quite as sharp as you first suggested when you were asked about this #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:31:08 2012
Kinch says information Matthews gave in a number of police statements are not consistent with each other, court hears #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:24:14 2012
Kinch: in a later statement you mentioned you had left them out but didn't explain why #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:12:24 2012
Matthews: no reason. Just didn't mention them #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:11:38 2012
Kinch: when you told the police about what had happened you said it was just the four of you, you didn't mention the girls. Why? #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:11:19 2012
Matthews went with Whant to the police station to make a statements on Feb 5 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:08:49 2012
Matthews: drank larger, vodka, wasn't keeping count how many. I knew what I was doing #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:06:36 2012
Def counsel Christopher Kinch QC is cross examining, asking Matthews how much he had to drink that night #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:05:57 2012
Matthews: In Corelli Street, Whant parked his car facing the river. The next morning it was parked facing the opposite direction #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:04:15 2012
Matthews: Whant did not have any injuries on his arms nor did he complain that he had been in a fight that night #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:00:38 2012
Matthews went with Whant to the police station to make a statements on Feb 5 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:08:49 2012
Matthews: drank larger, vodka, wasn't keeping count how many. I knew what I was doing #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:06:36 2012
Def counsel Christopher Kinch QC is cross examining, asking Matthews how much he had to drink that night #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:05:57 2012
Matthews: In Corelli Street, Whant parked his car facing the river. The next morning it was parked facing the opposite direction #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:04:15 2012
Matthews: Whant did not have any injuries on his arms nor did he complain that he had been in a fight that night #nikitta Fri Feb 03 16:00:38 2012
Matthews is taking the jury through CCTV stills and pointing out the people in them #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:59:17 2012
He was with them and other friends on the evening of Feb 4 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:56:13 2012
Next witness is Daniel Matthews, friend of Ryan Mayes and Whant #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:54:31 2012
McClaren: I didn't think it was relevant #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:51:26 2012
Kinch: you told police that if Whant ever tried anything on with you, you would punch him, when the truth was you had sex with him #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:50:34 2012
Kinch: you knew this was a serious investigation and you signed the statement to say it was true #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:47:57 2012
McClaren: I didn't want to admit it #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:46:11 2012
Kinch: when you were first asked by the police you denied you had ever had sex with Whant. Why? #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:45:59 2012
McClaren: no #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:44:58 2012
Kinch: I suggest to you, you had sex with Whant after you had sex with Ryan in the living room of the house in Corporation Road #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:44:35 2012
McClaren: it happened when me and Ryan were not together #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:43:08 2012
McClaren: no other occasions that we had sex #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:41:55 2012
McClaren: previously had sex with Whant twice #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:41:32 2012
Next witness is Ryan Mayes' former girlfriend Laura McClaren #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:39:45 2012
End of Ryan Mayes' evidence #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:39:01 2012
Jury shown photo of Whant getting petrol at the Shell garage on Malpas Road before they went to Ryan Mayes' flat on Feb 4 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:36:51 2012
Mayes: no that's not true #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:30:35 2012
Kinch: the fact is you were hoping that something would happen between you but you are not prepared to admit it #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:30:27 2012
Mayes: never said anything to her to suggest wanted anything more than friendship #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:29:36 2012
Mayes denies this and claims it was a bit of flirting at the most #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:27:16 2012
Mayes denies this and claims it was a bit of flirting at the most #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:27:16 2012
Kinch is suggesting Mayes wanted a fling with Elizabeth Taylor that night #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:26:19 2012
Mayes: I wasn't thinking straight that day #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:24:37 2012
Kinch: do you have something to hide? #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:23:42 2012
Kinch is accusing Mayes of lying to police about where people were in the Corelli Street house that night #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:23:23 2012
Kinch: you knew the police wanted to know what all the people in the group had been doing that night #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:21:33 2012
Court hears Ryan Mayes was arrested at Broadmead Park on Feb 5 on suspicion of arson #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:19:48 2012
Mayes: it's not true #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:18:51 2012
Kinch: I'm going to suggest you are wrong about that and it did happen #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:18:17 2012
Mayes: no that's not true. He's a liar. He's never been with any of my girls. I'm not into that #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:16:26 2012
Kinch: I suggest this has happened before with another partner #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:14:25 2012
Mayes: no that's not true #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:13:31 2012
Kinch: I suggest you called Whant in and said he could have sex with #nikitta and he did while you ironed your shirt Fri Feb 03 15:13:24 2012
Kinch: I suggest you and #nikitta had sex while Whant was in the flat #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:12:36 2012
Mr Kinch is now asking Mayes about the evening on Feb 4 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 15:10:43 2012
Court taking a short break #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:57:00 2012
Mayes: I remembered which way we came back from town #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:55:07 2012
Kinch: how do you go from "I don't know" to knowing which way it was facing? #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:54:47 2012
Mayes: I couldn't remember then but can now #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:53:35 2012
Kinch: in statement given to police last April you say you can't remember which way the car was facing. Why? #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:53:17 2012
Kinch: I suggest to you that Whant's car was facing the same way it had earlier. Mayes: No #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:50:06 2012
Mayes: when he came back I heard the car pulled up outside and let him in. He didn't bang the door more than twice #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:45:54 2012
Mayes: I wasn't keeping an eye on the time #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:43:52 2012
Kinch: first of all you told police Whant had been away from Corelli Street for 30 mins #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:43:18 2012
Mayes: I didn't know what we were involved in. I thought it was just a fire #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:40:26 2012
Mayes: I didn't know what we were involved in. I thought it was just a fire #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:40:26 2012
Mayes: my head was everywhere on Feb 5. I was saying anything and everything #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:39:55 2012
Kinch: statement says you told police phone call to Rachel was 20 to 30 mins after Whant left for nan's house #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:38:28 2012
Mr Kinch is asking Mr Mayes to look at the witness statement he gave police #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:35:30 2012
Mayes: I am clear in my mind that I phoned Rachel 30 to 40 mind after Whant left Corellia Street to go to his nan's house #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:33:04 2012
Mayes: was with Whant the whole time in The Greyhound pub. We weren't away from each other for longer than 2 mins #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:29:40 2012
Mayes: never saw a towel in the bathroom with blood stains on it #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:27:50 2012
Mayes: the outside door of the flat has a two-fold lock #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:25:24 2012
Mayes: had flings with other girls when not with #nikitta. There was some overlap between Laura McLaren and #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:22:03 2012
Def counsel Christopher Kinch QC is now cross examining #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:20:03 2012
Mayes: #nikitta never suffered any injury causing her to bleed in any way in the weeks leading up I get death Fri Feb 03 14:19:31 2012
Mayes: the bedroom door in flat used to have coats, dressing gown or bags hung over it #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:16:41 2012
Mayes: then headed to my flat in Broadmead Park #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:15:14 2012
Mayes: he went in, was in there about 5 mins and came out with cigarettes. #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:14:46 2012
Mayes: headed with Whant to his nan's house #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:14:18 2012
Mayes: noticed Whant's car was parked facing the opposite direction to how it had been parked earlier #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:12:31 2012
Mayes: we left the house about 7.15am to 7.30am on Feb 5 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:11:41 2012
Mayes: he said he couldn't wake his nan up to get any #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:10:58 2012
Mayes: asked him where he had been and why he didn't have any cigarettes #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:10:15 2012
Mayes: he returned about 30 to 40 mins after I phoned Rachel #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:09:36 2012
Mayes: I thought he had gone to another girl's house #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:08:56 2012
Mayes: Whant was talking about getting cigarettes #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:03:11 2012
Mayes: a man came to the house to bring more drugs. Didn't know him #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:02:45 2012
Mayes: some of us took more drugs #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:02:07 2012
Mayes: at a friend's nan house in Corelli Street the group started drinking vodka #nikitta Fri Feb 03 14:01:39 2012
#nikitta trial resumes. Ryan Mayes' evidence continues Fri Feb 03 14:00:51 2012
#nikitta trial adjourned for lunch, starting again at 1.55pm Fri Feb 03 12:55:39 2012
Mayes is describing the route they took to get there #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:51:57 2012
Mayes: at the end of the night we all got into Whant's car and went to Corelli Street #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:50:27 2012
Mayes: was upstairs in Revolution night club with Whant. We all danced #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:43:20 2012
Mayes: did not see any injuries on Whant's arms that night. He did not tell me that he had been involved in any argument #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:40:45 2012
Jury being shown CCTV stills of some of the friends returning to the pub after they had left to take cocaine #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:39:20 2012
Mayes: didn't see Whant take his jacket off in The Greyhound #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:33:24 2012
Mayes is talking the jury through the photos and explaining who is in them #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:32:51 2012
Mayes: did it around the corner or in the car #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:27:15 2012
Mayes: the group stayed together but some people left to take cocaine. I was one of them #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:26:43 2012
Another photo shown to jury show the friends inside The Greyhound pub #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:25:52 2012
Also shown photos of the group in Revolution night club #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:24:16 2012
Jury shown CCTV photos of the group of friends walking in city centre at 11.37pm on Feb 4 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:23:45 2012
Mayes: we then went into the city centre. Whant drove and parked in Market car park. Then went to The Greyhound pub #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:20:29 2012
Mayes: some of the group took cocaine at the pub #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:19:07 2012
Mayes: met friends there as well as girls I was meeting for the first time #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:17:59 2012
Mayes: went to my mum's house to watch the first half of the rugby. Then went to The Star pub #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:17:01 2012
Mayes: went to Tesco with intention of stealing alcohol and buying ingredients for a curry #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:16:03 2012
Mayes: Whant said he would wait in the car as I finished getting ready #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:14:50 2012
Mayes: #nikitta didn't come out of the bedroom. There was no conversation at all between her and Whant. Not even hello or goodbye Fri Feb 03 12:13:48 2012
Mayes: Whant was in the kitchen smoking. We both smoked as I ironed my clothes #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:12:49 2012
Mayes: asked her how she was and told her was going out. #nikitta was on the bed because she was having pains from the baby kicking her Fri Feb 03 12:12:17 2012
Mayes: #nikitta was led on the bed wearing shorts, a top and a dressing gown Fri Feb 03 12:11:03 2012
Mayes: Whant came with me into the flat #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:10:21 2012
Mayes: went back to the flat to get changed about 6.15pm that night #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:10:04 2012
Mayes: made plans with Whant to watch the six nations rugby that night #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:09:13 2012
Mayes: went to a burger van for breakfast before starting work canvassing for Anglian Windows #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:08:34 2012
Mayes: Feb 4 waited for Whant to pick me up. He picked me up morning. He wouldn't come in the flat. They would beep when outside #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:07:46 2012
Mayes: #nikitta had a bath every day. Sometimes at 1am or 2am, she would have one everyday at any time # Fri Feb 03 12:06:39 2012
Mayes: had sex with #nikitta on the morning of Feb 4 Fri Feb 03 12:05:08 2012
Mayes: the couple had active sex life even when she was pregnant #nikitta Fri Feb 03 12:04:10 2012
Mayes: phoned #nikitta to let her know I was on way home so she knew to let me in. She looked out window I check it was me Fri Feb 03 12:03:19 2012
Mayes: #nikitta got out the car with no shoes on, they talked, she give him a kiss, got back in the car and they drive off Fri Feb 03 12:02:13 2012
Mayes: we went driving to Matalan car park that evening and Jenna and #nikitta turned up Fri Feb 03 12:01:06 2012
Mayes: went back to mum's house and #nikitta was picked up by her friend Jenna Allman. I waited for a lift from Whant Fri Feb 03 12:00:09 2012
Jury shown CCTV of the shopping trip to BM Stores #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:58:41 2012
Mayes: on Feb 3 I went shopping with #nikitta, mum and two brothers Fri Feb 03 11:57:45 2012
Mayes: on Feb 3 Whant was driving a Ford Focus #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:56:43 2012
Mayes: I worked there with Whant who had worked there longer than me #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:56:15 2012
Mayes: Whant drove a big five-seater car through work with Anglian Windows #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:55:54 2012
Mayes: #nikitta would sometimes come out with me and Whant Fri Feb 03 11:54:46 2012
Mayes: they would not talk to each other much. Would be a hello or goodbye #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:54:21 2012
Mayes: sometimes #nikitta wouldn't let him in the flat Fri Feb 03 11:53:51 2012
Mayes: #nikitta didn't like Whant. Think she was jealous I spent a lot of time with him. She didn't like what he was about Fri Feb 03 11:53:32 2012
Mayes: would tell him things no one else knows. We had a close bond #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:52:32 2012
Mayes: would tell him things no one else knows. We had a close bond #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:52:32 2012
Mayes: he was like a brother to me. Could speak to him about anything. Closer to him than any of my friends #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:52:07 2012
Mayes: Whant is my cousin. Have bothered with him since age of 13 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:51:32 2012
Mayes: I was around for every appointment, everything was fine #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:50:43 2012
Mayes: "over the moon" at pregnancy, so was she #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:50:33 2012
Mayes: kept ourselves to ourselves and stayed strong #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:50:21 2012
Mayes: relationship was much better when moved into Broadmead Park #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:49:45 2012
Mayes: the flat door must be locked with a key. Not automatic lock #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:49:24 2012
Mayes: would sometimes socialise together, other times with own friends #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:48:39 2012
Mayes: lost my set of keys to Broadmead Park flat so #nikitta would have to let me in Fri Feb 03 11:48:19 2012
Mayes: #nikitta fell pregnant when they were living in Corporation Road Fri Feb 03 11:47:24 2012
Mayes: later decided to give it another go and moved in together in Corporation Road, before moving to Broadmead Park #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:46:42 2012
Mayes: me and #nikitta started living together when 16 but it didn't work and she moved back to her parents #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:45:09 2012
Mayes: no further relationship with Laura when I was with #nikitta. But still friends now Fri Feb 03 11:43:54 2012
Mayes: on/off relationship with her before I settled down with #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:43:13 2012
Mayes: lived with Laura when aged 16 for around five months #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:42:49 2012
Mayes: had 6 month relationship with another girl Laura McLaren when aged 12 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:41:28 2012
Mayes: when not seeing each other I saw other girls #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:39:53 2012
Mayes: she was a good looking girl people liked her, people liked me we split up before realising we wanted each other #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:39:36 2012
Mayes: we had our ups and down, we were young #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:39:00 2012
Mayes: first met #nikitta when 13. We were friends first then started relationship Fri Feb 03 11:38:41 2012
#nikitta trial resumes. Boyfriend Ryan Mayes is next witness Fri Feb 03 11:35:20 2012
Court taking a short break first #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:19:46 2012
Next witness is #nikitta's boyfriend Ryan Mayes Fri Feb 03 11:19:15 2012
Rees: officers went to the auto centre office to obtain the CCTV but could not get it #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:16:24 2012
Rees: this view was only visible when the footage was enlarged #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:15:18 2012
Rees: when looking at the footage it was apparent the view showed both directions of Queenshill Road #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:13:32 2012
CCTV cameras on the premises show inside the building and the forecourt but not the road, court told #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:12:05 2012
He was asked to look into why no CCTV disk could be obtained from Queenshill auto centre, Newport #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:11:07 2012
Mr Rees is an assistant enquiry officer at Ystrad Mynach police station, working for the major incident team #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:09:37 2012
End of Johanna Rafferty's evidence. Next witness is David Rees #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:07:35 2012
Rafferty: Recorded vehicles which came onto the roundabout and noted which exit they took from around 3am to 3.36am #nikitta Fri Feb 03 11:03:08 2012
Rafferty: highlighted two vehicles matching that description on Newport's old green roundabout in early hours of Feb 5 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:53:49 2012
Rafferty: Recorded results on a viewing log #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:45:30 2012
Rafferty: was instructed to look for silver or light coloured vehicles when looking at CCTV images #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:43:37 2012
Rafferty: the time difference between the two was 33 minutes #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:35:58 2012
Rafferty: was asked to check the time difference between that recorded on cameras at Maindee police station and real time on Feb 5 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:34:40 2012
Rafferty: there were discrepancies between the time on the CCTV stills and real time #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:28:49 2012
Jury being shown CCTV stills put together in time sequence by Ms Rafferty #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:26:08 2012
Her job is to receive and view CCTV and document them in a picture book from them #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:24:02 2012
End of Miss Temby's evidence. Next up is Johanna Rafferty who is a major incident team support officer with Gwent Police #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:23:14 2012
Temby: there was a time discrepancy of around 25 mins between real time and the time on the video #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:22:15 2012
Temby: footage taken from Maindee police station was for evening of Feb 4 into Feb 5 #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:17:16 2012
Temby: also collected CCTV footage recorded at Maindee Police Station. There was a time discrepancy between video and real time #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:13:59 2012
Miss Temby put together the CCTV compilation taken from The Greyhound pub that jury was shown yesterday #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:11:15 2012
She is a video support officer with Gwent Police #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:09:25 2012
First witness today is Alison Temby #nikitta Fri Feb 03 10:07:29 2012
Follow me for live coverage from the #nikitta trial from 10am Fri Feb 03 09:36:50 2012