A POLICEMAN thought a woman's threats to kill her lover days before her death were "drunken, immature and over-dramatised", a court heard.

PC Giles Tipton was sent to the couple's home in Moorgate Street, Blackburn, in the early hours of August 7 last year after Louise Berry, 19, made a tearful 999 call.

Berry, Preston Crown Court heard, told the operator she wanted to kill her girlfriend, divorced mum-of-two Mandy Burton, for having an affair and asked PC Tipton to "lock her up" when he arrived.

PC Tipton told the jury he had decided not to arrest Berry for making threats to kill because, in his judgement, the matter would be resolved if distance was put between the couple.

Berry was taken by police to her grandma's in nearby Bridgewater Court and warned she would be arrested if she returned to Moorgate Street that night, the court heard.

Four days later, Mrs Burton was found with her skull smashed from five blows by a blunt weapon. She died three days later.

Berry denies murder and a further charge of actual bodily harm relating to an alleged incident involving a man in the early hours of August 7.

Alastair Webster QC, defending, asked PC Tipton if his experience as an officer told him Berry was "immature, over-dramatic, wanting attention and drunk" over the incident.

PC Tipton agreed.

Mrs Burton, Berry and cousins Andrew and John Hollern had been drinking in the back yard of the Moorgate Street house, the jury was told.

Berry, John Hollern, said, hit him on the head with a crowbar for no apparent reason after she spotted Andrew sitting on Mrs Burton's knee.

It was after this that Berry made the 999 call. PC Tipton, who arrived at 1.50am, said: "I saw a female rolling on the ground and approached her cautiously as I was aware she may have a crowbar. She was very distressed and sobbing.

"As I approached, she sat up. I asked her if she was injured and she said 'just lock me up'.

"She repeated this several times. I asked her what the matter was and she started crying and said she was going to kill her girlfriend because she had found out she was having an affair.

"She called her a 'bitch' and then said I couldn't speak to her because I was a man."

PC Tipton's colleague PC Olivia Forshaw took over speaking to Berry and managed to calm her down, the jury was told.

The PCs then left, taking Berry to her grandma's. However, at 4.30am, they were again called to the house as Berry was put into an ambulance after claiming to have taken an overdose, the court heard.

PC Tipton said Berry was not in a state to be arrested.

(Proceeding)