Caroline Coyne murder trial: Accused 'spoke to mum of two before her death'

A man accused of murdering mum of two Caroline Coyne has told a court he spoke to her on the night of her death - but denied killing her.

Carl Powell, 24, of Carlton, began giving evidence at Nottingham Crown Court this morning.

He told how, on the night of Ms Coyne's death, he had been on the way to his girlfriend's house from a pub in Sherwood when he first saw a person he later came to realise was Ms Coyne.

He said she was stumbling out of a road and that he was in front of her.

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He had heard a car beeping behind him and he turned round and thought she was drunk.

Powell, who wore an open-neck white shirt in court today, told the court that he and Ms Coyne were near the Punchbowl pub, on Porchester Road in Mapperley, when she somehow got his attention.

He said he had probably slowed down and that is when she asked him for a cannabis joint - to which he replied he did not have any, but offered her a cigarette instead.

Jurors heard that Ms Coyne then swore at him and carried on walking.

Shaun Smith QC, defending, asked Powell: "Did you kill Caroline Coyne?"

He replied that he did not.

Ms Coyne was found dead in Thorneywood Mount, Thorneywood, on July 23, 2011. Powell denies murder and three allegations which relate to a second woman – false imprisonment, false imprisonment with intent to commit a sexual offence and sexual assault.

The trial continues.