A jury has heard that a man accused of assaulting his fiancée claims she fabricated the allegations to hide an alleged murder she committed.

Liam Cooper, 48, is on trial at Oxford Crown Court this week accused of assault, intentional strangulation, and criminal damage after an alleged incident in February this year.

The defendant is accused of assaulting his fiancée, Jessica Rowsell, after an argument, including throwing two ashtrays towards her and shattering a mirror.

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However, Cooper has denied the offences, claiming that his fiancée has made up the allegations to evade police investigation over an alleged murder she committed.

The defendant, of Spitfire Drive, Witney, is in custody while the trial takes place and it is expected to last two to three days.

During the trial on Thursday (October 10), Ms Roswell was cross-examined by defence barrister Derreck Fielding.

At first, he asked the complainant whether it had, in fact, been her who had shattered the mirror using a hammer.

She replied: “I disagree. I’m not someone who smashed things with hammers.”

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Mr Fielding then asked if the reason Ms Roswell had not called the police during the incident was because she was fearful of being caught with drugs.

She denied this, replying: “No, I’m sorry it’s just ridiculous what he tries to say in defence, I don’t know why he would make that stuff up. I wasn’t withdrawing from drugs.”

He then asked if a second reason she did not call police was because she had allegedly been involved in a murder.

Mr Fielding said: “I’m going to suggest there was another reason for your state of panic and that was because part of the argument involved Mr Cooper alleging you had been involved in a murder.”

The complainant responded: “Sorry? No…what murder? That is the first time I’ve heard of this. What murder are you talking about?

“There were no drugs, no murder, no stealing, it was just him wanting to kill me.”

She said she didn’t call police as she was ‘scared of the repercussions’ and feared she would have been dead by the time they arrived.

Ms Roswell appeared in court via video link, as allowed by the judge due to an illness, to give her evidence.

During cross-examination, she could be seen lifting a crystal glass with an amber liquid.

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She was reprimanded by the judge, who said: “We do not drink tea or any other substance whilst in court.”

The defendant could be heard in the dock saying: “Oh there we go, first thing in the morning.”

The trial continues.