A MAN co-accused of murdering Swanley woman Natalie Jarvis was told by his best friend "I slit her throat", a court heard today.

Adam Whelehan made the admission to his friend Thomas Fuller as they were in the car together the night of October 3 last year, a jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard.

Miss Jarvis, aged 23, was found dead on the ground that same night in Swanley Village Road, Swanley, with more than 20 stab wounds to her neck.

Whelehan, of Roseberry Drive, Sidcup, and Fuller, of Oakley Drive, Eltham, both 23, are accused of her murder.

The pair were driving around in the early hours of the morning of October 4 when Whelehan finally admitted what really happened earlier that night, the court was told.

In a video interview played to the jury which was given to police the day after Miss Jarvis was stabbed to death, Fuller said he was "in shock" when his friend told him.

He said: "It wasn't sinking in that he had done something even though he was covered in blood.

"I just thought he had cut his hand or something and thrown her into the bushes.

"On the way somewhere he just said 'I slit her throat'."

Fuller had been hiding in the boot of Whelehan's red Renault Clio when his friend of 17 years picked up Miss Jarvis from her home at around 10.30pm that night, he admitted in the interview.

After the car kept making a beeping noise even after Whelehan had got out and pretended to shut the boot properly, Miss Jarvis became suspicious there was someone inside, the jury heard.

Fuller said: "I could hear Natalie saying 'is there someone in the boot?' and I'm thinking 'oh no'.

"I could hear her say 'Adam, Adam get off'."

Fuller opened the boot and saw the pair grappling with their arms on each other's shoulders, he told Kent Police investigator Jack Keeler in the interview.

They then disappeared round the corner before Fuller followed them in the car only to see Whelehan running back towards him covered in blood, the court was told.

Fuller said: "Adam came back, got in the car and said 'just drive'.

"He said he didn't realise how strong he was.

"He said 'I pushed her. I pushed her in the bushes'.

"He showed me his hand and it had a cut on it."

The pair drove around until 3am - also picking up friend Matt Woods from Sidcup - when Fuller dropped off Whelehan at Bexelyheath police station, drove home and spoke to his mum before lying awake in bed the rest of the night, the jury heard.

Before Whelehan entered the station, Fuller claimed he said to his friend "we are both going in together" only to be told "no, no: it was me that done it.

"It's gone too far for that.”

Whelehan also gave Fuller his phone and told him to "smash it up", the court heard.

Whelehan has admitted killing Miss Jarvis - whom he had been seeing since the summer - in "lawful self defence".

Fuller is alleged to have been the "getaway driver".

Both deny murder.

The trial continues.