Student killed partner in 'brutal' attack - court

A US student murdered his partner in a "brutal and savage" attack in her bedroom in south-east London, a court has heard.

Joshua Michals, 25, of Deals Gateway, Deptford, is accused of killing Zhe Wang, 31, a Chinese national and a fellow student at Goldsmiths, University of London, on 20 March last year.

Three hours after the attack, Mr Michals called the emergency services who found Ms Wang "with two penetrating stab wounds to the face" at her flat in Manor Park, Hither Green, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

Mr Michals denies the murder charge.

Opening the prosecution, Henrietta Paget KC told the court the pair had only been seeing each other for "a few short months" before Ms Wang was killed.

"This was a brutal and savage attack, as the evidence of her injuries," Ms Paget said.

A post-mortem examination of Ms Wang also revealed she had been strangled, the prosecutor said.

The court heard how Mr Michals called for an ambulance at 23:08 GMT and said there had been a "very serious" knife incident in Ms Wang's flat.

He told a paramedic over the phone that he was no longer at the address and had been attacked by Ms Wang.

"By the time he called 999, he knew very well that it was too late to save Ms Wang," Ms Paget said.

"The emergency services would find her dead, as indeed they did."

The court was told that Mr Michals spoke to his father and obtained details of solicitors before he called an ambulance.

A handwritten note bearing such details was found on his kitchen counter.

"His first instinct in the hours that followed - far from doing anything at all to help her - was to cover his tracks in an effort to save himself," the prosecutor told the court.

Ms Wang was studying for an MA in creative writing and education and aspired to be a teacher.

She was described as a "quiet and gentle person" who was "funny, very organised and well turned-out".

The prosecutor said most of the evidence about her relationship with Mr Michals came from a WhatsApp chat between the two of them that police recovered from his phone.

The trial continues.

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