This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/29/becky-watts-stepbrother-nathan-matthews-claims-acted-alone

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Becky Watts's stepbrother: 'maximum of five minutes' to kidnap 16-year-old Becky Watts: '5 minutes maximum' to kidnap her, stepbrother says
(about 1 hour later)
The stepbrother of Becky Watts believed it would take a maximum of five minutes to kidnap her, place her in a suitcase and bundle her into the boot of his car, he told a court. The stepbrother of Becky Watts believed it would take a maximum of five minutes to kidnap her, put her in a suitcase and bundle her into the boot of his car, he has said in court.
Nathan Matthews, 28, is accused of murdering the 16-year-old at her home in Crown Hill, Bristol, on 19 February with his girlfriend Shauna Hoare, 21. Nathan Matthews, 28, is accused with his girlfriend Shauna Hoare, 21, of murdering the 16-year-old at her home in Bristol on 19 February.
Bristol crown court previously heard the pair, who allegedly share an interest in petite teenage girls, targeted 5ft 1in Becky in a sexually motivated kidnap plot. They are said to have suffocated Becky in her bedroom before placing her body in the boot of their car, driving it home and dismembering it in their bath with a circular saw. Bristol crown court had previously heard that the pair, who allegedly share an interest in petite teenage girls, targeted 5ft 1in Becky in a sexually motivated kidnap plot. They are said to have suffocated her in her bedroom before putting her body in the boot of their car, driving it home and dismembering it in their bath with a circular saw.
Becky’s remains were discovered in a garden shed in Barton Court - 80 metres from their home, in the early hours of 3 March. Becky’s remains were discovered in a garden shed, 80 metres from their home, in the early hours of 3 March.
Matthews claims he acted alone when he accidentally killed Becky after a plan to kidnap her to “teach her a lesson” for being rude to his mother went wrong. In his third day of giving evidence, Matthews insisted Hoare was smoking a cigarette in the garden when he fetched his “kidnapping kit” from his Vauxhall Zafira. Matthews claims he acted alone when he accidentally killed Becky after a plan to kidnap her to teach her a lesson for being rude to his mother went wrong. In his third day of evidence, he said Hoare was smoking a cigarette in the garden when he fetched his “kidnapping kit” from his Vauxhall Zafira.
He claimed Hoare usually took 15 minutes to smoke one cigarette and was still doing so when he killed Becky and carried her body into the boot of his car in a suitcase. When asked how long he thought it would take to kidnap Becky, Matthews said: “Maximum of five minutes. I thought I would have been really quick ... obviously it was really quick. Like I said, fear and shock.” He said Hoare usually took 15 minutes to smoke a cigarette and was still doing so when he killed Becky and carried her body to the boot of his car in a suitcase. When asked how long he thought it would take to kidnap Becky, Matthews said: “Maximum of five minutes. I thought I would have been really quick ... obviously it was really quick. Like I said, fear and shock.”
Matthews claimed he brought a red suitcase containing handcuffs, tape, a stun gun and a mask in from the car when Hoare went to smoke. He said he was wearing a beanie-style hat that he had worn in the past and placed a mask on his face to hide his identity. Matthews said he brought a red suitcase containing handcuffs, tape, a stun gun and a mask in from the car when Hoare went to smoke. He said he was wearing a beanie-style hat that he had worn in the past, and had put a mask on his face to hide his identity.
Prosecuting, William Mousley QC said: “So Becky would have seen you numerous times wearing a beanie hat, not much of a disguise that?” William Mousley QC, prosecuting, said: “So Becky would have seen you numerous times wearing a beanie hat. Not much of a disguise that”
Matthews said: “It was the mask. It was just white, like the ones you get from the pound shop that you can paint.”Matthews said: “It was the mask. It was just white, like the ones you get from the pound shop that you can paint.”
Mousley said: “Isn’t it the truth that you are lying about the fact that you had a mask on? That’s something you made up to try to help your suggestion that this was just a little prank that went wrong?”Mousley said: “Isn’t it the truth that you are lying about the fact that you had a mask on? That’s something you made up to try to help your suggestion that this was just a little prank that went wrong?”
Matthews said: “I definitely had a mask. Because then there would have been a massive struggle. The whole point was to shock and scare her, not to know it was me. I didn’t want to kill her.”Matthews said: “I definitely had a mask. Because then there would have been a massive struggle. The whole point was to shock and scare her, not to know it was me. I didn’t want to kill her.”
He told the jury he threw the mask and beanie hat in a bin near a bus stop in Southmead, Bristol. Items used to kill Becky and dispose of her body, along with her body parts, were discovered in suitcases, a rucksack and a blue box in the shed at Barton Court. He told the jury he had thrown the mask and beanie hat into a bin near a bus stop in the Southmead are of Bristol. Police discovered items used to kill Becky and dispose of her body, along with her body parts, in suitcases, a rucksack and a blue box in the shed near Matthews’ home.
Matthews claimed he could not remember what he said to Becky when he knocked on her bedroom door, using a deep voice as a disguise. “I have said I can’t remember all of the wording, I only remember pieces,” he said. “It is like a dream. It is all in slow motion when I remember it.” Matthews said he could not remember what he said to Becky when he knocked on her bedroom door, using a deep voice as a disguise. “I have said I can’t remember all of the wording, I only remember pieces,” he said. “It is like a dream. It is all in slow motion when I remember it.”
Jurors were shown the red suitcase Matthews claimed he placed Becky in, carried her downstairs and placed her into the boot of his car. When asked to look at the item, Matthews said: “I don’t want to.” Jurors were shown the red suitcase Matthews said he had put Becky’s body in before carrying it downstairs and putting it in the boot of his car. When asked to look at the item, he said: “I don’t want to.”
Matthews, of south Gloucestershire, denies murder and conspiracy to kidnap. He admits killing Becky, perverting the course of justice, preventing the burial of a corpse and possessing a prohibited weapon.Matthews, of south Gloucestershire, denies murder and conspiracy to kidnap. He admits killing Becky, perverting the course of justice, preventing the burial of a corpse and possessing a prohibited weapon.
Hoare, of Bristol, denies murder, conspiracy to kidnap, perverting the course of justice, preventing burial of a corpse and possessing a prohibited weapon.Hoare, of Bristol, denies murder, conspiracy to kidnap, perverting the course of justice, preventing burial of a corpse and possessing a prohibited weapon.
The residents of the Barton Court property, Karl Demetrius, 30, and his partner Jaydene Parsons, 23, admit assisting an offender. Donovan Demetrius - Karl’s twin brother - of Bristol, and James Ireland, 23, a work colleague of Karl’s, of Avonmouth, deny the charge. The residents at the property where Becky’s body parts were found in the shed, Karl Demetrius, 30, and his partner Jaydene Parsons, 23, admit assisting an offender. Donovan Demetrius, Karl’s twin brother, and James Ireland, 23, a work colleague of Karl’s, deny the charge.