Hammer accused's baby 'important'

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A man accused of trying to kill his partner and their unborn child said the baby was "the most important thing" in his life, his trial has heard.

Simon Morris, 37, denied Nerys Price stood in the way of his plans for a new life with another woman or wanting to inherit thousands from her will.

Prosecutors allege he attacked her with a hammer as she slept, but Mr Morris, of Prestatyn said he had "no motive".

He denies attempting murder and destruction of an unborn child.

Ms Price was 38 weeks pregnant when the attack took place at the home the couple shared in Prestatyn, which Mr Morris alleges was carried out by intruders.

In police interviews read out at Mold Crown Court, Mr Morris said the allegations against him were unbelievable considering how much he wanted the baby.

"I would never do anything to put that in jeopardy. Surely you'd have to hate someone to anything like that.

"There is no way in the world I feel like that about Nerys."

'No motive'

He said of prosecution claims that he struck her twice in the head with a hammer: "Genuinely, I can't believe that is even being suggested, I really can't.

"It's all being totally turned around and put onto me. There was no motive. I didn't need anything financially."

Police suggested he wanted to inherit £145,000 from Ms Price, who had recently made him the beneficiary of her will, and start a new life with Kate Christian, from Dyserth, whom he had met at a pub in St Asaph.

"There's the Kate thing but that doesn't mean I would want to do anything to anyone," he said.

I hate violence. I have never slapped a woman, it's not me, its physically impossible - I couldn't have done that Simon Morris

When told people killed for less reason, he said: "Well, there's some sick people. I'm not one of them."

"I'm not a criminal. I could never do anything like this," he said.

"How could [Nerys] be in the way, she's the mother of my baby."

He admitted his feelings towards Ms Price may have changed but said it would still have been been "me and Nerys with a baby even if it was occasional visits and stuff like that".

The court heard Mr Morris had said he was not a violent person.

"I hate violence. I have never slapped a woman, it's not me, its physically impossible - I couldn't have done that."

"I just wanted to say that I do think the world of Nerys and that the baby was the most important thing at the moment.

"It was planned. We planned to have a baby and just the thought that I am here now is just scaring the life out of me because my baby was just number one."

The police had suggested he staged a break-in by copying the method a former girlfriend's daughter had used to enter her house when she had lost her keys by using a crutch from an outdoor shed and putting it through a cat-flap, then opening the lock.

Mr Morris denied the allegation, saying he could not remember the incident.

The attack on 15 August 2008 left Ms Price, now of Ruthin, Denbighshire, needing an emergency Caesarean section. The baby was delivered safely.

Ms Price was taken to Walton Hospital in Liverpool for treatment for skull fractures.

The trial is continuing.