Michael Thompson: Friend says alleged murder victim was ‘happiest’ she has ever seen her with new partner
A friend of the alleged murder victim says the 43-year-old was the “happiest” she has ever seen her with her new partner, the court heard on Wednesday, June 3.
55-year-old Michael Thompson, of Pinewood Road, pleaded not guilty to the rape and murder of 43-year-old Kimberley Thompson – who was found dead at a home in Pinewood Road on August 9, 2025.
Thompson appeared at Northampton Crown Court on December 16, 2025 when he also pleaded not guilty to two additional charges of committing an act with intent to pervert the course of public justice.
The trial, which is being held at Nottingham Crown Court, is expected to last around six weeks and the jury members were sworn in on Thursday, May 21 ahead of the prosecution opening on Tuesday, May 26.
Colleen Clarke was the second person to be called upon by the prosecution to give evidence on Wednesday, June 3, and she had known Kim for around 10 years before her passing.
She told the court her first impression of Thompson was that he was “quite a nice man” and “quite charming”. During visits by Colleen to the home, Kim began telling her about the state of the marriage.
Colleen said Kim told her that Thompson was “quite controlling” and he would go through the cupboards saying she had too much, removing things he did not want and subsequently getting rid of them.
Colleen saw where Kim was staying in the “smallest room in the house” at a party in the summer of 2024, and she told the jury she had nothing in there besides a mattress on the floor and black bin bags with her clothes in.
The witness recalled that a few months earlier, Kim told her that she had come home from work and her bed was in the garden “all smashed up”. There was also an occasion when her clothes were out the front of the house and her drawers were smashed up at the back.
Colleen told the court of historic physical incidents that occurred around the time of the beginning of her friendship with Kim, which included Thompson grabbing Kim by her neck and throwing her and a black eye on separate occasions. The jury also heard that Thompson called Kim “awful names”.
In messages exchanged between Kim and Colleen, the witness told the alleged murder victim that what she was experiencing was “not okay” and that she “shouldn’t have to live like this”. This included deleting messages straight away so Thompson would not see.
After confirming she knew that Kim had a new partner named Nathan, Miss Moore KC asked Colleen how she seemed. She said it was the “happiest” she had ever seen her.
The court heard that Colleen thought Kim’s final Facebook post was “really strange” as she knew she had not been drinking as she had spoken to her on August 8, 2025. Kim had turned down an invitation to the pub for a few drinks and to stay at Colleen’s house.
‘Would never put a post up about drinking’
When being cross-examined by Mr Hankin KC, Colleen was asked to confirm when Kim told her that Thompson had “smashed up” her bed and left it in the garden. The witness believes it was a few months before the party she referenced in the summer of 2024.
Colleen confirmed that despite Kim reporting physical incidents to her, she never saw any of the alleged violence herself.
As part of her evidence, Colleen said that if Kim had posted about being out drinking, she would have included photos and mentioned being out with the girls. Mr Hankin KC asked the witness to clarify if Kim had done this before.
Colleen concluded by saying that Kim had posted about having nights out with the girls, never about drinking.
The trial continues.
Take a look at the Chronicle & Echo’s ongoing coverage of this trial here…