Becky Watts murder accused 'said girlfriend knew nothing of killing'
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Version 0 of 1. The man accused of murdering his stepsister Becky Watts insisted to police that his partner had nothing to do with the killing or dismembering and hiding the teenager’s body, a jury has heard. Nathan Matthews, 28, told detectives after his arrest on suspicion of murdering the 16-year-old that he had kept girlfriend Shauna Hoare, 21, in the dark over what had happened. Matthews and Hoare are charged with plotting to kidnap and murder Becky. They have denied the charges. Matthews, however, has admitted manslaughter, dismembering the teenager’s body and possessing two stun guns. On 4 March, the day after Becky’s remains were found hidden in a garden shed, Matthews stated that if Hoare’s DNA or fingerprints were found on anything to do with the dismembering of Becky’s body there would be an “entirely innocent” explanation. Matthews also insisted that Hoare would not have heard the attack on Becky at her home in St George, Bristol, on 19 February. In a prepared statement he said: “If Shauna’s fingerprints or DNA are on any of the things I used when dealing with the body it will be entirely innocent … I do not believe Shauna could have heard any of the struggle between me and Rebecca Watts at 18 Crown Hill. At all times I kept the body hidden from Shauna.” The jury at Bristol crown court watched an interview filmed by police with Matthews on 3 March. He frequently held his head in his hands and sobbed as he told detectives he had hatched a plan to kidnap Becky to scare her into becoming “more appreciative” of life and other people. He said he did not like the way Becky treated his mother, Anjie Galsworthy. Describing his plot, Matthews said: “Obviously I would put her in the suitcase, obviously put tape round her mouth so she couldn’t make a noise then once I got her in the car I would say something to Shauna that I had to go out for some reason, I’d make up an excuse. “I was thinking of a wooded area but obviously take her back out, obviously still have the mask on and obviously scare her and say something along the lines: ‘Start treating people better and not being a bitch and self-centred’, and say, ‘or it will get worse’. Obviously I hadn’t figured out exactly how to walk away after. I wanted to find a way to make her listen.” Matthews has said he was wearing a mask as he carried out his kidnap plan. He claims it slipped and he panicked and strangled her. When she was questioned by police after being arrested on suspicion of kidnap, Hoare said she did not believe any members of Becky’s family were involved in her disappearance as they were all “nice people”. Asked how she felt about being arrested on suspicion of kidnap, she said: “I feel terrified, upset, angry, very confused and quite sad.” Matthews denies conspiracy to kidnap and murder. Hoare has pleaded not guilty to any involvement in the plot to kidnap, the murder or the aftermath. The trial continues. |