Megan Newborough: Killer tells jury why he cut girlfriend's throat

A man has told a jury he cut his girlfriend's throat after he strangled her because he thought people would "be cross" at him.

Ross McCullam is accused of murdering Megan Newborough, 23, after inviting her to his home when his parents were out.

The 30-year-old has admitted to Ms Newborough's manslaughter but denies he deliberately killed her.

Mr McCullam has been giving evidence in a trial at Leicester Crown Court.

The jury has previously been told he killed Ms Newborough in the living room of his home, in Windsor Close, Coalville in Leicestershire, on the night of Friday 6 August last year.

Mr McCullam and Ms Newborough, from Nuneaton in Warwickshire, had been in a short relationship having met as colleagues at the Ibstock Brick factory in Leicestershire in June 2021.

He previously told the court he lost control in a "blind rage" having suffered an episode of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

He claimed that when Ms Newborough performed a sex act on him it triggered memories of childhood sexual abuse.

Under cross-examination Mr McCullam was asked about why, having throttled Ms Newborough, he then used a kitchen knife to cut her neck 14 times.

Mr McCullam said: "Everyone is going to be cross at me.

"It made sense at the time.

"I'm trying to explain rationally how I felt at a very irrational, manic time."

John Cammegh KC, prosecuting, asked: "Rather than dial 999 or rush next door for help, you thought it would be appropriate to pick up a carving knife and take it to Megan's neck?"

Mr McCullam said: "I don't think it's appropriate, I was just pacing around.

"It made sense people would be cross at me that I'd strangled her.

"It made sense."

'Choices'

Mr Cammegh asked: "You thought by finding the knife, choosing to pick it up... walking from one room to another, kneeling down by her body and using it in the way you did.

"That those several choices you made were simply because you thought it would be preferable for the objective observer to discover that Megan had had a knife used on her, rather than having died through strangulation.

"Is that really what you're telling this jury?"

Mr McCullam replied: "It isn't as cut and dried as that. I didn't decide.

"I didn't choose or intend to hurt Megan."

The court previously heard how Mr McCullam sent text messages to Miss Newborough's phone, knowing she was dead, after he used her own car to dump the human resources worker in a lane near Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire.

The trial continues.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.