KFC worker Redvers James Bickley became obsessed with his house-mate Tyler Denton who was in a relationship with another woman – and he stabbed her to death when he felt ignored at a birthday party, a court has heard.

Bickley had changed to black clothes and also stabbed her two sisters Cody and Shannen.

A court heard how Shannen saved Cody’s life by distracting the knife-man, and may well have saved her own by pretending to be dead.

Paul Denton, the father of the sisters, was called to the scene and he was also stabbed on a housing estate in Rhyl as he and Cody tackled him.

The murder trial jury at Mold Crown Court heard how Bickley loved Tyler and was obsessed with her.

It emerged that he had seen messages Tyler had sent to her partner Hayley Barnett about him at the party – and became enraged, said prosecutor John Philpotts.

Police who went to his home found notebook entries in which he had written: "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. My younger self was so full of morals things he would not do, lines he would not cross, I’ve crossed them all, there can be no rules or lines if you are to be truly free you must be willing to do whatever it takes to make the world a better place.”

“It becomes easier once you separate yourself become two people in a way, one persona to blend in and the other to do the unspeakable things that must be done.”

But Mr Philpotts said that Bickley did not need to do any of it.

He chose to do it when his anger got the better of him on September 9 last year.

Mr Philpotts said: "He ripped apart the world of the Denton family and all who cared and still care about them.”

Bickley, 21, of Llys Aderyn Du in Rhyl, denies murdering Tyler and attempting to murder her dad and two sisters.

Opening the case, Mr Philpotts said Saturday September 9 began happily because a girls’ night in’ had been arranged involving Tyler, her two sisters and Hayley Barnett, with whom Tyler had started a relationship, to celebrate Hayley’s 25th birthday.

They had food and drink, watched ‘X-Factor’ and listened to music and Mr Philpotts said they “had a jolly time”.

Bickley returned , had been drinking and was falling asleep and Tyler sent messages about him to Hayley, which he accessed on her ipad when the group went for a short drive at about 11 p.m..

They took some ‘selfies’ and laughed and joked before returning to Tyler’s house about 11.30 p.m..

“Of course, none of them knew it, Tyler Denton had about two hours to live. Before the night was out she had been stabbed to death by her house mate, this defendant,” said Mr Philpotts.

Tyler had met the defendant when both worked for a cleaning company, run by his mother Claire Bickley and her partner, Penny Royston.

The defendant and Tyler were never a couple, they were good friends and seemed, to many, rather like brother and sister.

They both lived with his mother in Wrexham from time to time and from November 2014 to March 2015, in Tenerife.

About four months before she was killed Tyler moved to Llys Aderyn Du in Rhyl and he was her housemate.

Tyler worked as a cleaner at Cheshire Oaks Shopping Park, in Ellesmere Port. Hayley Barnett worked there and they developed a close friendship which became a relationship.

Mr Philpotts said that night they all had a ‘girly chat and a good laugh’ and having balloon fights, taking ‘selfies’ and generally having fun.

Somewhat irritated by the defendant’s continuing presence, the sisters and Hayley decided to go for a drive to Gwaenysgor Hill View Point.

They arrived back at 11.30 p.m. and heard a groaning noise then a bloodstained hand appeared.

Bickley said he had smashed a glass and was reluctant to allow them in.

There was blood, on the front door, on a light switch and on the carpet and they began to clear up the mess.

Tyler rebuked him, telling him to go to bed but he slammed the door and left.

Mr philpotts said : “The prosecution suggest that rage was building within him. The clock was ticking. “ He returned within 20 minutes as others were leaving. They had no inkling of the horrific violence which was about to be inflicted upon them, said Mr Philpotts.

Bickley “detonated his anger and said, ‘Let’s begin,’ uttered in a strange, deep voice.

He sliced Cody’s her right cheek with a knife, pushed her to the ground and continued to strike her.

Shannen recalled a blow to the back of her head which knocked her to the floor and caused her intense pain.

All the girls were all screaming and Hayley saw him stab Shannen to the neck or shoulder.

Cody and Tyler before Shannen. She saw her sisters at the end of the driveway with him on top of them, repeatedly stabbing them.

Shannen ran towards the main street, Maes y Gog with Hayley who turned left down Maes y Gog and flagged down a passing car, ironically containing the defendant’s friends.

Shannen ran to a house to seek help “It may well be that, in running away, Shannen saved Cody’s life.

“I say that because she clearly drew his attention from her sisters,” said Mr philpotts.

As she ran, Shannen was aware of footsteps behind her, she turned to face him, and he struck her to the front of her body and knocked her over.

As she lay there, he attacked her as he had done her sisters. She felt him repeatedly stab her to the back, head and neck.

“This time the stabs were controlled and deliberate. He knew exactly what he wanted to do. He was saying things like ‘Red’s back’, ‘Red’s revenge’ and ‘Red’s return…’. He was trying to kill Shannen and, when she pretended to be dead, lying motionless and with her eyes closed, he thought that he had succeeded,” said Mr Philpotts.

She had saved her own life because he moved away from her and ran down Maes y Gog in the same direction as Hayley had run.

As Shannen lay on the floor, she called her father but saw Bickley return and crawled to the nearest front door and banged on it.

She was taken in and the police and the ambulance arrived.

Cody moved Tyler through some bushes and banged on a door.

They were screaming and banging on the door for help.

Tyler was mortally wounded. She became weak and told Cody ‘I’m going to die’ .

They both hid in a bush and Cody recalled the defendant coming back and appeared confused because he was unable to see them.

A neighbour also alerted police and filmed the scene on his mobile – the footage was played to the jury.

Paul Denton drove as quickly as he could to Llys Aderyn Du. He heard his daughter screaming hysterically, shouting ‘We’re over here!’ He saw the defendant above Tyler, mumbling, growling and making a grunting noise.

Bickley stabbed himself twice in the chin or jaw and, when he saw Mr Denton, he jumped to his feet and lunging towards him with the knife in a stabbing motion.

As he turned his attention to Cody. Mr Denton jumped on his back as the defendant repeatedly attempting to stab him using backward motions.

He was stabbed to the head and neck.

With Cody’s help, he overpowered him and, after a struggle, disarmed him of the knife, throwing it towards the road.

At 00.05 a.m. Bickley tried to call his mother and told her partner, Penny Royston ‘I’ve done something stupid. I love you. Tell the kids I love them.’ The prosecution say that he was thinking and acting clearly and rationally. Police arrested him when he was cornered around an electricity substation.

On arrest he said ‘I killed someone’ and ‘I’m guilty’ or ‘I confess to murder’.

In the police car he said ‘Do you know how hard it is to love someone and not have them love you back?’ He had injuries and said words to the effect of ‘I’m going to live. That’s not justice.’ Tyler was taken Ysbyty Glan Clwyd but said, ‘I can’t breathe. I’m dying’.

Her father was wheeled from ‘A and E’ and positioned so that he could hold her hand for one last time.

A post-mortem examination showed she had eight stab wounds On to the neck cut an artery, resulting in massive internal blood loss.

Her father and sisters had serious injuries but recovered.

Mr Philpotts told the jury that although the relationship between the defendant and Tyler was akin to that of a brother and sister, it seemed he wanted more.

In interview he said that he loved her and wanted a relationship with her.

There was evidence that he was obsessed with her. When his iPad was examined following his arrest it was found to contain intrusive photographs of her sunbathing in Tenerife, apparently taken without her knowledge.

“He was clearly aware that she was at the start of a relationship with Hayley Barnett and, superficially, had seemed to accept it. But the prosecution suggest that he felt excluded and resentful as Tyler celebrated and socialised.

It was the prosecution case that he was enraged by his exclusion and by reading Tyler’s messages.

Interviewed, Bickley said his life was on a downward spiral. He spoke of a side of his character into which he concentrated all the negative aspects of his life and which he gave the name ‘James’.

He said that this character had ‘dark thoughts’ including of killing people. He had not consulted a doctor about these feelings.

Proceeding