A person accused of murdering his girlfriend advised police he by chance killed her whereas making an attempt to throw an axe at a tree.
Andrew Burfield, 51, is on trial for homicide after the physique of mother-of-two Katie Kenyon, 33, was present in April.
He is accused of burying her physique within the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, in a grave he dug the day earlier than her dying.
Burfield then despatched messages from Ms Kenyon’s telephone to her kids and himself after her dying, Preston Crown Court heard on Monday.
David McLachlan KC, prosecuting, mentioned Burfield advised police he struck his girlfriend within the head with an axe after she “bet” him he couldn’t hit her can of Coke with it.
Burfield additionally claimed Miss Kenyon had been hit with the again of the axe and suffered no different accidents – however a put up mortem confirmed she was struck an estimated 12 occasions, the jury heard.
Burfield was arrested after Miss Kenyon’s disappearance, and he initially denied data of her whereabouts.
But in a later interview his model of occasions was modified by a brand new “revelation”, Mr McLachlan mentioned.
Burfield advised police he by chance killed Miss Kenyon earlier than digging a gap and burying her, the jury heard.
Forensic pathologist Dr Jamie Robinson mentioned Burfield’s account of inadvertently hitting Ms Kenyon was “completely implausible”, Mr McLachlan mentioned.
The courtroom additionally heard that the day earlier than Ms Kenyon’s dying, Burfield borrowed a spade and a set of ladders earlier than driving to Gisburn Forest.
Mr McLachlan mentioned: “It’s the prosecution case that Andrew Burfield had been out on that night on an important mission… to dig a grave.”
On the morning she died, the courtroom heard Miss Kenyon messaged Burfield: “Ready and excited for a new chapter.”
Miss Kenyon’s daughter despatched her a message at 12.18pm that day and acquired a response of two laughing face emojis.
Mr McLachlan mentioned: “The prosecution say… that message was not sent by her but it was part of a charade and was sent by Andrew Burfield.”
Texts despatched later from Miss Kenyon’s telephone to Burfield acknowledged she was “truly sorry for everything”. To her daughter, she wrote that her father would now take care of them.
Miss Kenyon’s physique was recovered every week after her dying.
Burfield denies homicide.
The trial continues.
Source: information.sky.com”