MISS Grender’s friend with whom she spent the evening before her death told the court yesterday the mum-to-be was her normal self that night.

Jenna Allman told the court she picked Miss Grender up from her mother’s house at around 7pm on February 4 and they went back to Miss Grender’s flat so she could change. The friends then spent the evening driving around car parks in the Bowlplex and Asda in Cwmbran and Spytty Retail Park and Asda in Pill, in Miss Allman’s silver Vauxhall Corsa.

Miss Allman said she dropped Miss Grender home at around 1am and watched her go into her flat and close the door behind her before leaving.

Jury members also heard evidence from Elizabeth Taylor who spent the evening of February 4 a group of friends including Whant and Mr Mayes, drinking and taking cocaine. She said she and Mr Mayes spent much of the early hours of the morning of February 5 in a bedroom at a house party in Corelli Street and they kissed, but nothing else happened. Miss Taylor said they flirted and she told Mr Mayes about her boyfriend, but he did not mention whether he was attached.

She said when Whant said he was going to get cigarettes, she and Mr Mayes asked if they could go, but Whant said: ‘No’.