Becky Watts trial: Accused girlfriend says her messages about kidnapping girls were 'extremely unfortunate'

Shauna Hoare was asked by William Mousley QC: 'Does it just happen to be an unfortunate coincidence that you and Nathan were talking about kidnapping a girl or girls and bringing them home to the house?'

Shauna Hoare has denied playing a part in Becky's death (PA)

The woman accused of murdering Becky Watts has told a jury it was "extremely unfortunate" that months earlier she had sent messages about kidnapping teenage girls.

Shauna Hoare, 21, allegedly killed the 16-year-old in a sexually motivated kidnap plot with her boyfriend, Nathan Matthews, 28, on February 19.

Bristol Crown Court heard that Hoare was present at Becky's family home in Crown Hill, Bristol, when Matthews, the teenager's stepbrother, suffocated her in a violent struggle.

A candle burns besides a photograph of Becky Watts at St Ambrose Church in Bristol

Becky's body was then dragged downstairs and into the boot of Matthews's Vauxhall Zafira, which was parked on the drive outside.

It was then driven back to the couple's home in Cotton Mill Lane, Bristol, and allegedly dismembered over three days while Hoare was there.

Police officers discovered Becky's body parts in suitcases and a blue storage box in a garden shed in Barton Court, Bristol - 80 metres from the couple's home.

Hoare, in her second day of giving evidence, denied that she played any part in Becky's death, the disposal of her body or that she was sexually attracted to the teenager.

Prosecuting, William Mousley QC asked: "Did you just happen to be in the wrong place at 18 Crown Hill when Becky was killed?"

Shauna Hoare seen on CCTV with her boyfriend Nathan Matthews (PA)

Hoare replied: "From my point of view, yes."

Mr Mousley asked: "Did you just happen to be in the wrong place at 14 Cotton Mill Lane when, over three days, Nathan disposed of her body?"

Hoare said: "I don't think it was the wrong place - it was my home. I was in my house, which was a normal place to be."

Mr Mousley continued: "Does it just happen to be an unfortunate coincidence that you and Nathan were talking about kidnapping a girl or girls and bringing them home to the house?"

Hoare replied: "I don't think it was a coincidence, it was just extremely unfortunate."

She insisted she was not "acting" normal after Becky disappeared from her family home because she was unaware of what had happened.

The court heard that Hoare did not notice or smell anything unusual when Matthews was dismembering Becky in their bathroom, apart from bleach.

Jurors were told that Hoare accompanied Matthews on shopping trips to buy cling film, bags, cleaning products and tape, which were used to package Becky's body parts.

"He obviously had reasons for buying them which were different from what I believed," she said.

Hoare told the court that DNA attributable to her which was found on a dust mask and bag used to dispose of Becky's body could be explained.

"Those bags were in my house, they would logically have my DNA," she added.

On the night that Becky's body was taken into the couple's home, Hoare searched for a parody of the Frozen song Do You Want To Build A Snowman, called Do You Want To Hide A Body.

Hoare said: "I suppose it was bad timing."

Mr Mousley asked: "Through all of this you were in blissful ignorance of everything that had taken place?"

Hoare replied: "Yes."

During cross-examination, Hoare said she did not dislike Becky but disliked the way she treated Matthews's mother, Anjie Galsworthy - Becky's stepmother.

"I never said I disliked her - I disliked her actions," she said.

"I wasn't jealous of Becky. Nathan was jealous of the treatment that Becky got. That was more a sibling rivalry which I didn't have with her."

She refuted suggestions that she would take pleasure in mistreating Becky, punishing her or using her for her own purposes.

When asked about messages between her and Matthews about teenage girls, Hoare said he would tell her he had a sexual interest in them.

"I didn't like him telling me he found anyone attractive," she told the court.

"He believed if he didn't tell me about things it would be like keeping a secret. He would say to me that he wouldn't lie to me and he had never lied to me, he wouldn't keep secrets."

Matthews, of Hazelbury Drive, Warmley, South Gloucestershire, denies murder and conspiracy to kidnap.

He admits killing Becky, perverting the course of justice, preventing the burial of a corpse and possessing a prohibited weapon.

Hoare, of Cotton Mill Lane, Bristol, denies murder, conspiracy to kidnap, perverting the course of justice, preventing burial of a corpse and possessing a prohibited weapon.

The residents of the Barton Court property, Karl Demetrius, 30, and his partner Jaydene Parsons, 23, admit assisting an offender.

Donovan Demetrius - Karl's twin brother - of Marsh Lane, Bristol, and James Ireland, 23, of Richmond Villas, Avonmouth - a work colleague of Karl's - deny the charge.