Katie Wynter murder trial: 'I didn't kill her', accused tells court

A man accused of stabbing a babysitter to death while she was looking after two young children has told his trial he was not the murderer.

Katie Wynter, 19, was stabbed 13 times in Beech Drive, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, on Boxing Day night.

Karate instructor Tony Bushby, 19, told St Albans Crown Court: "I didn't kill her. I honestly didn't kill her."

Mr Bushby added: "If there was one person who didn't deserve that, it was her."

He was asked by his barrister Lee Karu QC: "Did you at any stage contemplate harming Katie Wynter?" Mr Bushby replied: "No. I would never contemplate that."

He told the court the reason Ms Wynter's blood had been found on the front door of his home in Digswell Close, Borehamwood, was because he had been wearing gloves given to him by a Facebook friend called Dan Tress.

Cross-examining Mr Bushby, Michael Speak, for the prosecution, said: "If Dan Tress does not exist, your story is an outright lie? " The defendant replied: "Yes."

Mr Speak said: "Where is he?" He replied: "I don't know. I wish I did."

Mr Bushby also told the court he did not recollect putting the questions, "how long does it take to dig a grave by hand?" and "how long does it take to burn a human body?", into a search engine.

The jury has heard the children were in the house at the time of the killing, but were not hurt.

Ms Wynter was discovered by her mother, Joy Davies, in a pool of blood the morning after the attack.

The teenager had been stabbed in the neck and abdomen.

The trial continues.