NATALIE Jarvis was found dead in her blood-soaked pyjamas on the side of a road in Swanley after being stabbed more than 20 times, a court heard today.

Miss Jarvis, 23, was discovered collapsed on the ground in Swanley Village Road after suffering stab wounds to her neck on October 3 last year.

Thomas Fuller, of Oakley Drive, Eltham, and Adam Whelehan, of Roseberry Drive, Sidcup, both 23, went on trial this morning charged with her murder.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how Whelehan told police officers he "thought he had killed someone in the Swanley area.”

Ian Acheson, prosecuting, said Whelehan did not know Miss Jarvis was dead or alive after handing himself into Bexleyheath police station shortly after 3am on October 4, but said "he had slashed her neck and left her.”

Mr Acheson said he told officers: “A female friend who he had been seeing had been spreading rumours about how he made her pregnant and he had driven to a Swanley lane when a light showed the boot was open.

“She kept saying to stop and close it. He said she had a silver tool which she used to try to stab him. He grabbed her and stuck her.

“He later said he did what he had to do to get her off before he drove away.”

The court heard Whelehan had previously told friends he “had to get rid of her” and showed one the knife he was going to use to “kill her.”

However, his friend Stephen Hughes did not think he would go through with it.

Whelehan was worried Miss Jarvis, who he shared a “friends with benefits” relationship with, would tell everyone she was pregnant, the court heard.

Tests later showed she was not pregnant at the time she died.

On the day of her death Whelehan and Fuller were at the driving range at Ruxley Park Golf Club in Sidcup before heading to the Tailor’s Chalk pub in Foots Cray High Street at about 8.30pm.

They then drove in Whelehan's red Renault Clio hatchback - with Fuller in the boot - to the Portrait pub in Sidcup before arranging to pick up Miss Jarvis for “a chat” from her house about 10.20pm.

CCTV footage displayed in court showed the car arriving at an industrial estate close to Button Street at about 10.45pm and Miss Jarvis and Whelehan getting out.

Mr Acheston told the court: "Not only were here slippers distributed as much as more than 80 metres apart, the journey up Button Street and along  Swanley Village Road was some 150 or so metres, much of which would appear she was bleeding, leaving blood traces."

At around 10.50pm she was found in the road with multiple stab wounds to her neck.

Paramedics were called but she could not be rescued.

Post-mortem examination results showed there were at least 20 stab wounds with the largest cut being 11cm deep.

Fuller and Wheelehan both deny murder.

The trial continues.