A MAN accused of being involved in the murder of an Ipswich charity worker has claimed that he begged his co-defendant not to kill her.Paul Waters told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that when Robert McCarry announced he would have to kill Nicola West because he had stolen £5,000 from her he said “You don't need to kill her.

A MAN accused of being involved in the murder of an Ipswich charity worker has claimed that he begged his co-defendant not to kill her.

Paul Waters told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that when Robert McCarry announced he would have to kill Nicola West because he had stolen £5,000 from her he said “You don't need to kill her. Please don't kill her.”

Waters said he had tried to intervene by putting his hand on McCarry's shoulder but McCarry had threatened to kill him as well if he touched him again.

The court has heard that Waters met McCarry and Miss West at the Silver Star pub in Vernon Street, Ipswich on February 8 last year and had driven them in his car to an area near the dry ski-slope at Wherstead.

Waters claimed that the three of them had sexual activity in the back of his Ford Fiesta and at no time had 34-year-old Miss West complained about what was taking place.

He said that as he was driving away from the ski-slope he had seen McCarry with his hands round Miss West's throat and had then seen him put the sleeve of a maroon coloured top round her neck.

He said that when McCarry released his grip on the sleeve he heard Miss West gasp and he had then seen McCarry use Miss West's bra to strangle her.

Waters said: “I was looking round and begging him to stop.”

The court also heard that Waters has mental health problems that made him think aliens were communicating with him and he also admitted believing God was talking to him through a TV set.

However, facing cross-examination from Martyn Levett, co-defendant Robert McCarry's defence lawyer, Waters said his mental issues did not cloud his version that McCarry killed Miss West on purpose.

Mr Levett suggested that following the death of Miss West, Waters' mental health would have suffered as he had been without medication for two days.

McCarry, 37, of Vernon Street, Ipswich and Waters, 29, of Sandpiper Road, Ipswich have denied murdering Miss West, who grew up in Colchester, in February last year.

McCarry has also denied raping Miss West and Waters has denied attempting to rape her and aiding and abetting McCarry to rape her.

Both men have denied perverting the course of justice and McCarry has denied conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues today.