A MURDER hearing witness claims he "stabbed" himself jumping out of a window to escape questioning about the death of young mother Teah Luckwell.
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Matthew Bell was called to the witness box on Thursday in Jesse Leigh Green's NSW Supreme Court special hearing.
Green is charged with the murder of 22-year-old Ms Luckwell, after she was found stabbed to death in her South Tamworth unit in March, 2018.
The court heard Mr Bell knew both Green and Ms Luckwell. Mr Bell is not charged in connection with the case.
In cross-examination, public defender Stuart Bouveng asked Mr Bell if a small group of people had questioned him about any "involvement" in Ms Luckwell's death.
"Yeah," he replied.
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He said that when he jumped out a window to run home, he stabbed himself with the blade he was carrying on his side.
Mr Bell told the court he had a knife on him "all the time" around the time of Ms Luckwell's death.
Mr Bouveng asked Mr Bell if he had "some sort of a fascination" with Ms Luckwell, but he replied that he did not.
He asked if Mr Bell had told another man that his fingerprints would be on the murder weapon, but Mr Bell denied ever having that conversation.
"I never said nothing like that," Mr Bell said.
Crown prosecutor Brian Costello asked Mr Bell what involvement he had, if any, with the death of Ms Luckwell.
"Nothing," he replied.
Mr Costello asked if the knife he carried had been involved with what happened to Ms Luckwell.
"No way," Mr Bell said.
Green is accused of murdering Ms Luckwell in the kitchen of her Robert Street unit in the early hours of March 28, 2018.
Green also faces charges of break and enter; and using an offensive weapon.
The hearing continues before Justice Stephen Campbell, sitting virtually from Sydney due to COVID-19 lockdown.
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