JURORS in the Ipswich “body in the boot” case have been told that one of the accused had a hold over the other.The Ipswich Crown Court jury will soon be unravelling the trial's evidence to decide if charity worker Nicola West was murdered by strangulation or was the victim of a tragic accident during sexual activity.

JURORS in the Ipswich “body in the boot” case have been told that one of the accused had a hold over the other.

The Ipswich Crown Court jury will soon be unravelling the trial's evidence to decide if charity worker Nicola West was murdered by strangulation or was the victim of a tragic accident during sexual activity.

Robert McCarry and his friend Paul Waters have been charged with her murder and the jury have heard that the three were in Water's Ford Fiesta at the secluded Wherstead Dry Ski Slope area when the incident happened on February 8 last year.

Waters had tried to have sexual intercourse with Miss West and then McCarry had performed oral sex on her and used a strangulation technique around her neck to heighten their sexual pleasure.

Miss West, 34, became unconscious and died.

Michael Brompton defending Waters, said his client said McCarry killed her on purpose because he had stolen her engagement ring and credit card earlier that day.

After Miss West's death the two defendants made a number of visits to friends before driving around the country for two days deciding what to do with the body which they put in the car boot.

Mr Brompton said they had visited Mark Heron in his “quiet country house” and he described McCarry as “highly agitated, wild eyed and shouting”.

Mr Heron said he remembered McCarry saying to Waters “your DNA, your DNA”. As if he was holding this over Waters to control him.

Mr Brompton said Mr Heron believed McCarry was stating that Waters' DNA was on Miss West's body and he would be in trouble unless he did what McCarry said.

He added that when McCarry was out of the way Waters said to Mr Heron “help me, he has threatened to kill me”.

McCarry, 37, of Vernon Street, Ipswich and Waters, 29, of Sandpiper Road, Ipswich have denied murdering Miss West.

McCarry has also denied rape and Waters has denied attempted rape.

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

The jury is expected to consider its verdicts on Monday.