Final letter to Duchess aide 'found in bin'

A last letter to former royal dresser Jane Andrews from wealthy Tommy Cressman was found torn up and thrown into a litter bin, the Old Bailey has been told.

The letter was discovered by police searching Mr Cressman's west London home the day after he was found stabbed to death in his bedroom.

Andrews, 34, who denies murder, is alleged to have killed the 39-year-old businessman last September with a kitchen knife and cricket bat after he refused to marry her.

Andrews is said to have placed all her hopes on starting a new life with Mr Cressman after her nine years as dresser and aide to the Duchess of York ended suddenly in 1997.

But in the letter, Mr Cressman reveals their life together had been less than happy.

The letter, said Richard Whittam, prosecuting, was not dated but had the address of his mother's South of France home on the top.

Mr Cressman is thought to have been killed in the early hours of September 17, having returned from holiday with Andrews in France.

The letter was addressed to Dearest Jane and signed Tom xxx.

Mr Cressman said he had wanted to go out with an old friend named Isabelle the previous month but had not done so because he feared Andrews would ask him "10 million questions".

He urged her not to see what he had said as "rejection" and advised her to try to sort her life out.