Prosecutors at Plymouth Crown Court presented a sequence of audio and CCTV material on Monday outlining the last recorded hours of Aimee Pike, the 22-year-old mother found with multiple injuries on the A379 near New Bridge, Kingsbridge, in April 2025.
Voice messages and CCTV build a picture
The jury was shown clips that included Ms Pike leaving a Dartmouth pub following a pre-arranged date and later boarding a bus to travel home. Accompanying audio messages she left for a friend that afternoon were played in court, capturing her excitement about the evening.
"I couldn't ask for a more perfect end to my day"
The messages recorded Ms Pike describing the date as "perfect" and telling a friend how physically affectionate the encounter had been. The court heard she mentioned being able to smell the man on her jumper and said he was "so f***ing cute" and "really lush".
Accused denies charges
The defendant, 31-year-old Rowan Sutton, of West Charleton Court, Kingsbridge, a volunteer coastguard and mechanical engineer, faces charges of murder and a separate allegation of sexual assault by touching on 1 April 2025. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Jurors were told that, despite the breakup of their relationship, Ms Pike and Sutton continued to share a flat in West Charleton Court for financial reasons and that Ms Pike had been considering leaving the area, possibly relocating to Bristol.
What the evidence presented includes
- CCTV showing Ms Pike at the Floating Bridge pub in Dartmouth and later boarding a bus.
- Audio voice messages she left her friend Casey on the afternoon of 22 April 2025, expressing pleasure about a date.
- Prosecution accounts linking her movements on the evening to subsequent events leading to her being found on Embankment Road at New Bridge, Kingsbridge, in the early hours of 23 April 2025.
The court heard that a man identified as "Jamie" attempted to phone Ms Pike while she was being driven by Sutton in his modified Land Rover to a caravan, material which formed part of the account presented to jurors. The defendant remains in custody while the trial continues.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 April 2025 | Alleged sexual assault by touching (charge) |
| 22 April 2025 | Ms Pike goes on a pre-arranged date in Dartmouth; leaves voice messages describing the evening |
| Early hours 23 April 2025 | Ms Pike found with multiple injuries on the A379, Embankment Road, New Bridge, Kingsbridge |
The material presented so far aims to establish Ms Pike's state of mind and movements shortly before her death. The defence has denied responsibility for the charges. Reporting restrictions and sensitivities around live proceedings limit what can be published at certain stages; the trial will determine the facts in court.
Further hearings will continue at Plymouth Crown Court where witnesses and further forensic evidence are expected to be called.
