A MAN co-accused of murdering Swanley stab victim Natalie Jarvis said he was “stupid” to get into Adam Whelehan’s car boot, a court heard today.

Miss Jarvis was found dead on the ground in Swanley Village Road after suffering more than 20 stab wounds.

Whelehan has admitted killing Miss Jarvis but says it was “in lawful self defence”.

Thomas Fuller, 23, of Oakley Drive, Eltham, today said he decided to get into Whelehan’s car so he could hear if Miss Jarvis made insulting comments about his deceased father.

The prosecution alleges he was there to accompany Whelehan, also 23, of Roseberry Gardens, Sidcup, to a violent confrontation with Miss Jarvis.

Robert Acheson, prosecuting, said Fuller changed his initial witness statement to the police after he was arrested to distance himself from Whelehan.

He said: “When you were arrested you realised that getting in the boot of a car suggested that you were going with him to a violent confrontation.

“You were going to provide strength in numbers to a violent incident in Button Street.”

Mr Acheson asked at which point Fuller decided to change his statement, to which he said: “When I was arrested, I changed it to the truth."

Fuller told Maidstone Crown Court: “It was stupid to get into the boot of the car.”

The prosecution said: “A week had gone by since you told a lie in this part of the interview.

“You had the opportunity to go back to the police station and say that bit was untrue up until the moment you were arrested.

“Had you not been arrested, you would have stuck by this lie, wouldn’t you?”

Fuller replied: “I’m not sure. Not necessarily.”

Mr Acheson pressed Fuller on why he did not get out of the boot when he heard Miss Jarvis say “Get off me, Adam.”

Fuller replied: “I just froze. I panicked.”

Mr Acheson continued: “If you had any intention of helping Natalie at all, if you had any intention of stopping Adam killing Natalie, you would’ve got out of the boot seconds after hearing her say ‘Get off me, Adam.”

He added: “You had no feeling for Natalie at all, did you?”

Fuller said: “It doesn’t mean I wanted her to die.

“I wasn’t in the boot to help Adam.”

Mr Acheson said: “He didn’t need your physical help but you were there with him in spirit and in body if need be, weren’t you?”

Fuller replied: “No.”

The court later heard Fuller sent a series of Blackberry messages to friend Bridie McCann from the boot of Whelehan’s car.

Fuller wrote “It’s him, he’s gone f***ing mental” and later another saying “It’s all got out of hand, I’m going to get done for it.”

The prosecution alleges Fuller sent those texts to create a “mental alibi” in case his phone was analysed.

Fuller insisted: “I was never part of the plan.”

The prosecution alleges Whelehan murdered Miss Jarvis because he "wanted out of the relationship and the only way out he could see was to kill her".

The court has heard Whelehan picked up Miss Jarvis from her home with friend Fuller hiding in the boot of his car at about 10.30pm on October 3 last year.

He drove to a country lane car park in Swanley Village before getting out with Miss Jarvis about 10.50pm and "by the time he returned to the car, then driven by Fuller, she lay dead".

Whelehan and Fuller deny murder.

The trial continues.