The trial of Co Tyrone chef Johnny Miller accused of murdering his former fiancé Charlotte Murray has heard that in the months before her disappearance the 34-year-old Omagh woman was attempting to rekindle a relationship.
A friend who had a previous relationship with Charlotte told the third day of Miller's Dungannon Crown Court trial of being sent text messages by her saying she was leaving and going to work in Belfast where he lived.
However, the events organiser told the jury that by that stage he was already in a relationship and was not interested and had simply "wanted to remain friends".
Miller, originally from Coleraine, but with an address in Redford Park, Dungannon, denies murdering Ms Murray on a date between October 31 and November 2, 2012.
The man said that Charlotte had told him by text of getting engaged and "in the text she seemed pretty happy with him" (Mr Miller), .... and that she also told him that "Mr Miller was a calming influence on her".
However during 2012 "that changed", he said, and in one text she complained of "not being totally happy with the relationship and did indicate was there may be a chance of meeting up for a drink .... but I was in a relationship then so I said 'no'."
He said the last he heard from her was on Halloween 2012 when he got three texts in a row, which he said was unusual, although in cross-examination he accepted on one occasion he had received 22 straight texts from Charlotte.
He also said that Mr Miller had once telephoned him to warn him to keep away from Charlotte.
"He was calm on the phone," adding that "his tone wasn't raised".
In cross-examination he accepted that Charlotte may have told him she was thinking of leaving "The Moy' village in Co Tyrone where she and Mr Miller had a home in Roxborough Heights, and that "she was trying for a job in Belfast". Later he learned that "she and Mr Miller had split up".
The court also heard yesterday from the owner of the Cohannon Inn where Charlotte and Mr Miller worked. Karen Bowe said Charlotte had last worked on October 29, 2012, and was later told by Mr Miller she would not be returning to work.
Ms Bowe described Charlotte as "reliable and hard working and when she came in she put her head down and worked away", and that Mr Miller was regarded as a "very good and valued employee ... very level headed".
The hotel owner said while Mr Miller had been off work on October 31 to November 2, there was nothing unusual in that, "not a change in plan" as it had been her who had set out the shift work for that week.
She said that after Charlotte had left, Mr Miller had continued on working as he had always done and that there was "absolutely no change in him", until police had contacted him, and he became "extremely upset" and that "it appeared to be genuine .... oh yes".
Ms Bowe said that when Mr Miller was forced to leave his home during the police investigation she had given him a room at her hotel, added: "I wanted to help him though that difficult stage".
The trial continues on Monday.