Friends of Sue Addis have described her as a “warm and generous person who was very supportive of her family”.
Statements read in court praised her relationship with her grandson, Pietro Addis, who she “always believed” would “turn things around”.
The 19-year-old is accused of murdering his grandmother at her home in Cedar Gardens in Brighton in January 2021.
He admits killing her and has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder.
In a written statement read to the jury at Lewes Crown Court, friend Denise Taylor said: “Sue was a warm and generous person who was very supportive of her family.
“She felt that she was Pietro’s go-to person. Sue always believed he would turn things around and come good in the end.
“Sue always spoke about her family with affection.”
Addis was arrested for murder after his grandmother was found stabbed to death in her bathroom on January 7, 2021.
In a recording of a call made to a 999 operator, a jury heard how Addis told a 999 operator that “there’s been a murder”.
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When asked by the operator how did this happen, Addis said: “no comment”.
Paramedics arrived at the scene at 7.10pm and found Sue's body in her bathroom. A post-mortem revealed that she suffered 17 stab wounds to the body.
Sue was a popular restauranteur in Brighton and Hove who owned Donatello in The Lanes and Pinocchio in New Road.
The court heard that she had expressed concern about Addis' cannabis use and researched a specialist mental health and addiction clinic on the day of her death.
In a written statement, another friend, Sue Eastman said: "Sue was more like a mother and a grandmother figure to him. I know she was very close with him.”
"I'm aware from Sue that he would often tell her that he loved her. Sue was very proud of Pietro.”
She added that Sue “stepped in as a replacement mother” after Addis' mother died when he was young.
The trial is being presided over by Judge Christine Laing KC and is expected to last around two weeks.
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