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Man 'murdered out of perversion' | Man 'murdered out of perversion' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A musician killed a Brighton teacher to satisfy an interest in strangulation and violence towards women, jurors at the Old Bailey have heard. | A musician killed a Brighton teacher to satisfy an interest in strangulation and violence towards women, jurors at the Old Bailey have heard. |
Graham Coutts, 39, denies the murder in March 2003 of Jane Longhurst, 31, who was originally from Reading, Berkshire. | Graham Coutts, 39, denies the murder in March 2003 of Jane Longhurst, 31, who was originally from Reading, Berkshire. |
Jurors have been told that the case is a retrial. | Jurors have been told that the case is a retrial. |
Prosecuting, Philip Katz QC said Mr Coutts, of Hove, Sussex, had a "very long-standing and perverted sexual interest in violence to women". | Prosecuting, Philip Katz QC said Mr Coutts, of Hove, Sussex, had a "very long-standing and perverted sexual interest in violence to women". |
He said: "Graham Coutts killed Jane Longhurst and he did it in order to satisfy a very long-standing and perverted sexual interest in violence to women and in particular the killing of women by strangulation." | He said: "Graham Coutts killed Jane Longhurst and he did it in order to satisfy a very long-standing and perverted sexual interest in violence to women and in particular the killing of women by strangulation." |
Mr Coutts has pleaded not guilty to murder, claiming that the special needs teacher's death was an accident. | Mr Coutts has pleaded not guilty to murder, claiming that the special needs teacher's death was an accident. |
'Body in storage unit' | 'Body in storage unit' |
Warning jurors they were likely to find parts of the case extremely unpleasant, Mr Katz told them Mr Coutts "did not immediately dispose of the body". | Warning jurors they were likely to find parts of the case extremely unpleasant, Mr Katz told them Mr Coutts "did not immediately dispose of the body". |
The lawyer claimed Mr Coutts kept it for about 11 days "possibly somewhere in the same house where he was living with his then-partner". | The lawyer claimed Mr Coutts kept it for about 11 days "possibly somewhere in the same house where he was living with his then-partner". |
Mr Coutts then moved the body to a storage unit in Brighton, hired in a false name, and kept it there for almost a month, visiting "regularly every few days" and where staff began to be concerned about the smell, jurors were told. | |
The jury heard Mr Coutts then decided to move the body to secluded woods - Wiggonholt Common near Pulborough - where he set fire to it, but the blaze was seen by a passing driver. | |
Mr Katz claimed Mr Coutts repeatedly misled police and said: "He lied over and over and over again about not knowing where she was." | |
Jane Longhurst was a special needs teacher and musician in Brighton | |
He told the court Mr Coutts had been looking at "horrific" images on pornography websites the day before Miss Longhurst died. | |
And Mr Coutts told a psychiatrist he had been having "sexually arousing" thoughts about murdering women since the age of 15, Mr Katz said. | |
Mr Coutts trained to become a counsellor, but his behaviour during role-play disturbed other people taking part when he talked about websites showing the killing of women, jurors heard. | |
Jurors were told Mr Coutts had non-consensual sex with Miss Longhurst on the day of her death and the couple were not involved in a relationship. | |
Miss Longhurst's partner, Malcolm Sentance, said the pair had known each other for four years. | |
He said: "We were going to spend the rest of our lives together. We were having a lot of fun. We were in a great relationship. | |
"She was looking forward to having a family. She loved her job. | |
"We were having a fantastic life. Her mood was of optimism and happiness." | |
The trial continues on Wednesday. |