Susan Whiting murder trial: It's all lies, says man accused of killing
"I never touched her. It's all lies." Those were the repeated claims of rape and murder accused Steven Beards who is on trial for the brutal killing of 20-year-old Walsall woman Susan Whiting.
For the second day in a row the hearing at Leicester Crown Court had to be adjourned briefly after the 34-year-old suspect appeared to break down under questioning from barrister Jo Sidhu QC, defending his wife Julie Beards who is co-accused of murder.
Miss Whiting was found dead at Julie Beards' bungalow in Heather Close, Bloxwich, last August two days after she had visited the home for a sleepover.
Yesterday Mr Sidhu put it to Steven Beards, who has no fixed address of his own, that he slipped hypnotic sleeping drug Zopiclone into a meal he cooked on Sunday, August 16 for Susan and Julie, in a ploy to knock the pair out so he could rape the 20-year-old student.
He said: "I'll give you one thing. I suggest you did not plan to murder Susie. But it all went wrong, that's right isn't it?
"I suggest you didn't mean to kill her as you were cooking that meal. I suggest you didn't mean to kill her when you drugged her. What you wanted to do is to have sex with her without her knowing about it.
"You didn't want Julie to know that you were planning to have sex with her best friend who she called 'sis',"
Beards repeated in a low voice 'it's all lies' before falling completely silent despite further questioning from the barrister. It prompted a ten minute break in proceedings.
When the trial resumed Mr Sidhu moved on to Miss Whiting's final moments putting it to Beards that he waited until the following morning and tried to have sex with the victim in a 'panic' when wife Julie, 36, awoke earlier than expected and went for a shower.
Mr Sidhu probed: "Did she (Susan) wake up as you were having sex? Did she rouse then struggle and speak out 'get off, get off',
"But you weren't going to get off were you because you hadn't finished and the more she struggled with you the more force you applied didn't she?"
Beards, formerly of Rowland Avenue, Walsall, responded 'I didn't touch her' throughout.
Mr Singh added: "You took a hammer to her to shut her up. You smacked her hard three times on the head."
Beards repeated his claim he hadn't touched the victim. The pair both deny murder. Steven Beards denies a further charge of rape.
The trial continues.
