A Solihull man accused of attempting to murder his teenage girlfriend by throwing her from a tower block window has claimed she climbed out herself following an argument about "cheating".
Defendant's Account of the Fall
Jordan Herring, aged 22, gave evidence at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, 15 January 2026. He is on trial for the alleged attempted murder of his 18-year-old girlfriend, who fell from the fourth floor of Merton House in Chelmsley Wood on 12 November 2022.
Herring told the jury the pair had been arguing about "stupid things" and infidelity in his mother's flat. He stated the teenager "got up on the window sill and started screaming". He claimed she then told him she was going to climb out before doing so.
"I went to stand up and try and grab her but I didn't," Herring said in court. He described hearing a noise, looking out, and seeing how she was lying on the ground. Herring confirmed both he and the victim had smoked cannabis prior to the incident, saying he did not "think it was real" and became emotional.
Response and Delay in Calling Emergency Services
The court heard that after the fall, Herring ran to alert his mother, Kerrie-Anne Grogan, in whose flat the incident occurred. He was shown CCTV footage of him walking, not running, down the tower block stairs afterwards. Herring explained he was "stoned" and did not want to be the first outside.
"I don't know what I'm going to walk out to. I didn't want to see it," he told the court. Herring stated he then went outside, placed a blanket around his naked girlfriend, carried her back upstairs, and could hear her breathing and making noises.
A significant delay occurred before emergency services were called. Herring claimed his mother struggled to find her phone, suggesting it felt like half an hour. In reality, the call was made approximately one hour and twenty minutes after the fall. Herring denied preventing his mother from calling sooner or ever holding a knife.
Background and Previous Conviction
Herring told the court he had known the girl since school and their relationship began in February 2022. He referenced her mental health, recalling a video she sent of her pulling out her eyelashes and hair. Herring, who swore on the Quran before giving evidence, said his religious views meant he had "no sympathy" for self-harm.
He explained they were at his mother's flat because the teenager had facial bruises and her family was looking for her. Herring also admitted he was on probation at the time and feared being sent back to jail.
The jury has been informed that Herring has a previous conviction for controlling and coercive behaviour against the same victim. The trial at Birmingham Crown Court continues.
