TWO Ipswich men murdered a hospice worker and dumped her body in the boot of a car after one had raped her, a court heard.

By JOSH WARWICK, crime reporter

josh.warwick@eveningstar.co.uk

TWO Ipswich men allegedly murdered a hospice worker and dumped her body in the boot of a car after one had raped her, a court heard.

Nicola West was strangled after she threatened to report defendants Robert McCarry for rape and Paul Waters for attempted rape, it was alleged at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday.

Her naked body was then put into the boot of Waters' car, where it remained for two days until the defendants drove to Ipswich Police Station and informed officers of her death.

Appearing at Ipswich Crown Court, McCarry, 36, denies two counts of rape, murder, perverting the course of justice and conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Waters, 29, denies aiding and abetting in relation to McCarry's rape charge, attempted rape, murder and perverting the course of justice.

On day one of the trial, which is expected to last for four weeks, the court heard how on February 8 Miss West, 34, of Leather Bottle Hill, Little Blakenham, had visited the Punch and Judy pub on Cardinal Park in Ipswich.

Jurors heard that it was at the pub that Miss West, who had been drinking heavily throughout the week, met McCarry. The pair became close and were seen kissing.

Prosecuting barrister Karim Khalil said witnesses had described how it was obvious Miss West had been drinking “more than was good for her” and that it seemed McCarry was “seeking to take advantage of her condition”.

Miss West and McCarry left together and went to a flat in Vernon Street which belonged to a man known as Manchester Ray. The prosecution alleges McCarry raped Miss West in the flat.

Waters is then said to have arrived at the flat with another woman who told police she heard Miss West scream.

Later Waters and McCarry drove Miss West to an area near the ski slope on Wherstead Road, where Waters allegedly tried to rape Miss West but was unable to, the court heard.

McCarry again raped Miss West, the prosecution alleged, before strangling her to death.

Mr Khalil told the jury: “It appeared McCarry carried out the act of killing her but you will appreciate how close Waters must have been - within a car seat away.

“You would expect that they would take her to a hospital or a police station but they put her into the boot of the car and spent the best part of Friday and Saturday driving around with her essentially naked in the boot of the vehicle.”

A witness told police McCarry had said he and Miss West had sex and she had cried rape so he killed her to “shut her up”. It is claimed Waters wanted to tell police but McCarry wanted to dispose of the body.

On February 10 the pair drove to Ipswich Police Station and told officers the body of a woman was in the boot of Waters' car.

In interview they claimed the sex was consensual and Miss West had asked to be strangled to increase the sexual pleasure from partial asphyxiation.

They claimed the sexual adventure had gone wrong and that it was an accidental death.

McCarry, of Vernon Street, and Waters, of Sandpiper Road, said they had not immediately told police because they had panicked.

The case continues today.