Murder accused: "I've done something serious. I've killed someone."

Kathleen Green, the ex-partner of Paul Howarth (48) told the court she did not believe them until they returned to the flat where the body of Keith Passmore was lying in the bath.

But when she became hysterical after seeing the body, Mrs Green said Gary Burley (45) threatened to kill her - as he brandished a multi-tool.

Speaking from the witness box at Preston Crown Court, Mrs Green said Howarth and Burley came to her flat in sheltered accommodation.

They seemed tipsy but not staggering drunk, she told the court.

She added: “Paul said ‘I need to speak to you. I’ve done something serious. I’ve done somebody in. I’ve killed somebody.

“I’m not sure if he said we or I, but I looked at Gary and said ‘is that true?’ and Gary just shrugged his shoulders.”

Mrs Green agreed to go with Burley and Howarth to Howarth’s flat - which was downstairs from Mr Passmore’s flat in Clifton Road, Burnley.

She said: “When we were walking through the subway Gary said, ‘did you see when I gave him that upper cut? And Paul said he had stamped on him.

“No-one said a knife had been used but Gary said, ‘my daughter can’t find out I’m a murderer.

“I just didn’t believe what they were saying as we were walking round. They were saying things and I was going ‘yeah, right. You wouldn’t be talking like this.’”

But when they arrived at the flat, Mrs Green said she saw a broken knife in the bedroom, and saw Mr Passmore’s body.

She told the court: “When I saw that I knew they weren’t going to let me leave. Gary threatened me when I was hysterical. Maybe he did t to stop me going mad or maybe he was scared, I don’t know, but he said, ‘I’ll gorge your eyes out.’

“Paul was trying to calm it down telling me to stop.

“Gary said, ‘nobody knows you’re here and nobody is going to know. I’m going to kill you.’”

Mr Passmore, 60, was found by paramedics slumped between a chair and the floor. He had more than 30 stab wounds to his body.

Howarth, of Clifton Road, Burnley, denies murder on the basis he has no memory of the events of January 10th as he was drunk.

Burley, of Herbert Road, also denies murder and making a threat to kill.

(Proceeding)