A "death-obsessed" woman filmed herself torturing a cat just months before allegedly killing a man in Oxford, a court heard.

Scarlet Blake, 25, is accused of murdering Jorge Martin Carreno, 30, as he walked home from a night-out in July 2021.

She is said to have met him in Radcliffe Square, walked with him to Parson's Pleasure in the University Parks, and "killed him".

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The BMW plant worker’s body was discovered face down in the popular bathing spot by dog walkers.

Blake, of Crotch Crescent, Marston, was charged with the murder more than two years later.

She appeared at Oxford Crown Court in front of Judge Martin Chamberlain KC as her trial began yesterday (Wednesday, February 7).

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told a jury of five women and seven men that Blake had a “fixation with violence”.

The court heard that three months before Mr Carreno’s death, Blake filmed herself butchering a neighbour’s cat.

In a 20-minute video that was too graphic to be shown to the jury, she allegedly dissected the rescue feline while it was still alive.

A vet who spoke to the court said the pet would have felt pain for “at least three minutes, probably longer” before it died.

Blake then allegedly removed the cat’s eyes and skin before putting it in a blender while listening to music.

Ms Morgan KC said it showed her “extreme interest in violence and harm” in the lead-up to Mr Carreno’s alleged killing.

Oxford Mail: Murder-accused Scarlet Blake is from Crotch Crescent Murder-accused Scarlet Blake is from Crotch Crescent (Image: Oxford Mail)The jury was also shown footage of Blake strangling her partner in a sexual act to demonstrate her “fascination with violence”.

She said Blake had been “out on the streets of Oxford looking for a victim” before “targeting” Mr Carreno in the early hours of July 25, 2021.

Mr Carreno, a Spanish man who was living and working in Oxford, had been drinking with work friends in the Cow and Creek and the Swan and Castle pubs before making his way home to his address in Wilkins Road, Cowley.

Described as “vulnerable” at the time, he was seen “stumbling” into Radcliffe Square where a mystery figure - caught on CCTV wearing a hooded coat and face mask - sat alongside him and offered him a vodka bottle.

Oxford Mail: Jorge Martin Carreno met an unknown figure in Radcliffe Square before his death Jorge Martin Carreno met an unknown figure in Radcliffe Square before his death (Image: NQ)The pair then left and were last seen walking towards the Marston cycle path in South Parks Road at 4.27am.

Mr Carreno’s body was discovered in Parsons Pleasure more than 24 hours later with bruises to the head, shoulder and back.

A vodka bottle lid was found at the scene.

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Thames Valley Police released CCTV images of the mystery figure and arrested Blake after receiving a tip-off about the jacket from a person in America.

Pictures were also found on Blake’s phone of the tree at Parsons Pleasure where Mr Carreno was found – despite police never revealing the specific location.

“It reveals she knew that location when that is not something which was in the public domain,” said Ms Morgan KC.

Pictures of nine female killers were also found on Blake’s phone.

Ms Morgan KC said she was 'unfazed' when arrested, with a video showing her saying to officers: "At least it's not genocide."

Later, at the end of a police interview, Blake also admitted to having an animal microchip embedded in her body.

Ms Morgan KC said: "There are many people in the world who have different interests.

"However the scale of this defendant's obsession with harm is different.

"It shows someone with the mindset of harbouring dark, dark thoughts of injuring other people."

Blake, who is being defended by Richard Sutton KC, has pleaded not guilty to the murder.

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by Gee Harland