A MARRIED man accused of murdering his former girlfriend "abducted" and threatened to kill her less than a fortnight before her death, a court has heard.

Stuart 'George' Thomas drove Katrina O'Hara out into the countryside before telling her he would steer the car into a tree on December 26 2015, it was alleged.

Miss O'Hara died at Jock's Barbers in East Street, Blandford, on the evening of January 7 2016.

She had suffered two stab wounds to the chest.

Thomas, 49 and of Salisbury Road in Blandford, denies murder.

Karen Hall, who owned Jock's, gave evidence on the second day of a trial at Winchester Crown Court this morning.

She said Miss O'Hara, who was 44, had made the allegation of abduction on a return to work after the Christmas holidays.

"[Miss O'Hara] told me that [Thomas] had basically abducted her in his car and threatened to kill them both," Ms Hall said.

"At some point she managed to get free and grab her phone - he had her phone at the time.

"She was hiding in a field.

"She managed to contact somebody to try and get some help."

Wendy Murphy, who also worked at the barbers, said Miss O'Hara had been "very distressed" and "desperately upset" when she arrived at work after the Christmas break.

"She completely broke down," she said.

"[She said] they were in a car together and he was angry with her and he was telling her he was going to drive the car into a tree and kill them both."

It was also alleged that Thomas had broken into Miss O'Hara's Okeford Fitzpaine home.

"She had woken up in the morning and found him sat on the end of her bed," Ms Murphy said.

"He had come in through a window or broken into the house."

William Mousley QC, for the defence, told jurors there are "two sides to the story".

"Nobody really knows what led to Katrina receiving her injuries.

"George Thomas says he remembers very little about that relatively short period of time," Mr Mousley said.

"Mr Thomas does not seek to pretend that he doesn't bear responsibility for [Miss O'Hara's] death.

"After all, her injuries were caused by a knife he had taken into the shop."

However, he added: "There are some key issues which must be addressed in order for you to decide the level of his responsibility for what happened."

Police arrested the defendant on suspicion of harassment in late December 2015.

He was bailed with the condition not to contact Miss O'Hara.

He denies harassing her.

The trial continues.