Defendant hurled imitation Faberge egg at partner after she told him of affair

A father told a court how he killed his partner by hurling an imitation Faberge egg at her - after she told him she had slept with another man.

Paul Hemming, 43, said the heavy, £1,000 egg - which was made of jade - struck Natalie Hemming on the head, causing her to fall onto the corner of their coffee table.

He told Luton Crown Court, on the night of May 1 this year, she ended up on a rug in their Milton Keynes home and, when he got to her, he realised she was not breathing.

Mr Hemming said: "I couldn't believe I had done it. How am I going to explain it to the kids upstairs? So then I thought I am going to cover this up."

When asked why, he replied: "Because I knew I had killed her."

The defendant said he carried the body of 31-year-old Ms Hemming out of their home while their children were asleep and loaded it into his car before driving for 30 miles to a wooded area near Hemel Hempstead.

After pulling up, he stripped Natalie's body in the car and dragged her naked corpse by her feet into the undergrowth where he left her under the trees, he told the court.

Mr Hemming, who was in a relationship with Ms Hemming for nine years and was the father of their two children, denies murder but admitted manslaughter at the beginning of the trial last week.

On the night of her death, Ms Hemming had told she planned to leave him for another man and wanted to take their children.

Mr Hemming grabbed the imitation Faberge as he tried to leave the room.

But when asked if he intended to kill her, he replied "no".

The trial continues.