Becky Watts trial: Matthews confession in full
I Nathan Charles Matthews accept that I am responsible for the death of Rebecca Watts. On February 19 2015 I attended 18 Crownhill, St George, Bristol with my girlfriend Shauna Hoare. 18 Crown Hill is where my mother lives with Darren Galsworthy, Rebecca Watts also lived there.
Shauna is my mother's registered carer so we regularly go to the house to help with housework and other help my mother needs. Although we usually went there on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, we did also go there on other days.
On Thursday February 19 part of the reason for going around was to return a tin to my Grandmother. My grandmother was due to take my mother to a medical appointment and bring her back.
In my car I had a large bag, a stun device, handcuffs, tape and a mask. I had developed an idea to scare Rebecca by kidnapping her. I wanted to kidnap her to scare her and teach her a lesson. I believe that she was selfish and her behaviour towards my mother was a risk to her health.
When we got to 18 Crown Hill we let ourselves in with a key my mother had left in the recycling box. Upon entering the property we all went to he front room. A few minutes after arriving Shauna said she wanted a cigarette and went into the garden.
When she was in the garden I went to the boot of my car and took out a bag which contained the other items. I took everything upstairs to the landing, I think I then took the items out oft he bag before knocking on Rebecca's door.
She replied "What?" or "Hello" and I said, "Can I see you a minute?" or similar words.
Rebecca then opened the door, I am wearing the mask. I cannot be sure in which order things happened immediately after she came to the door but I used the items I had to subdue Rebecca.
During a short struggle my mask slipped and Rebecca was able to see my face. This caused me to panic and I strangled her while she was partially in the bag.
I collected the items I had used, put them and Rebecca into the bag and zipped up the bag. I also took her phone, tablet and laptop together with shoes, some clothes and a duvet cover from the spare room in a separate bag. I took everything downstairs and put it into the boot of my car.
Back in the house I waited to hear Shauna then slammed the front door shut. Before going into the front room I checked that Shauna was not in that room and then go in and sit... then go and sit on the sofa.
The rest of the day at the house goes at it would normally, if we were there. We leave about 7pm, probably a little after 7pm. We returned to 14 Cotton Mill Lane, I go and lie on our bed, which is what I would normally do. The rest of the evening passed as usual but I cannot remember exactly what we did. After Shauna went to bed and sleep, I wanted a while and went out to the car and brought the bags into the house.
The following day we went back around to 18 Crown Hill and I tried to behaved as normal. I tried to behave as I could. When we returned back to 14 Cotton Mill I again waited for Shauna to go to sleep, this time I collected the bag with Rebecca's body and take it to the bathroom.
I took the body out of the bag and placed it in the bath. In order to stop Shauna using the bathroom the following morning I poured drain cleaner down the toilet so I could tell Shauna it was blocked again. The toilet would often get blocked and when that happened I knew Shauna would not go into the bathroom. I also locked the door.
Matthews buying the circular saw at B&Q in Horfield.
My memory of the days that followed is not perfect so I'm not sure which day I returned to 14 Cotton Mill Lane having left Shauna at my mother's but I think it was the Saturday.
When I got back to 14 Cotton Mill Lane I tried to dispose of the body by cutting it up with a circular saw. Initially I wrapped up the body parts and took them back downstairs and hid them, I'm not sure how many days later, but on another day I took the body, the saw, and other items to 9 Barton Court, Barton Hill, and placed them in the garden shed.
I took them to this address with two other people. I did not tell them what was in the bags and the box, and said I would collect them in a few days. Both of the people are men but I do not want to name them.
I have chosen to give my account by means of a written statement because I believed I have mental health and learning difficulties that make it difficult for me to say it out loud. Also I find it difficult to express the detail in this account in spoken words.
I would like to add that my denials to date have been motivated in part by a wish to avoid the pain and disappointment these admissions would cause to my partner and family.
Shauna did not know anything about my causing the death of Rebecca or my attempt to dispose of and hide the body. Had she known she would have reported me to the police.
Apart from this statement, I will exercise my right to silence.