Jayden Parkinson killing: Teen 'thought body burial was pets'

Jayden Parkinson was found dead on 18 December last year

The teenager who helped the killer of Jayden Parkinson bury her body in a graveyard has told a court he thought he was burying a cat and a dog.

The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has admitted perverting the course of justice but denies preventing her lawful burial.

He also told Oxford Crown Court he had nothing to do with her death.

Ben Blakeley, 22, from Reading, admits killing her and burying her near Didcot in December, but he denies murder.

Blakeley has told the court he dug two shallow graves, one in the countryside close to where he strangled her, and the second in the grave of his uncle, Alan Kennedy, at All Saints' churchyard in Didcot.

But when the teenager was asked under cross examination if it had occurred to him Blakeley had killed Jayden, he replied: "No, it didn't."

The court heard he helped Jayden's ex-boyfriend bury her body both times, but the teenager denied knowing it was Jayden's body.

He said Blakeley told him he was burying weapons in the field, and then three days later he was burying the bodies of a cat and a dog at the graveyard.

Giving evidence on Thursday, the teenager said he was also told they were tidying Mr Kennedy's grave for Christmas.

Jayden was last seen on 3 December when she met Blakeley to discuss her pregnancy.

Her body was found 15 days later. A post-mortem examination revealed she died from pressure to the neck.

The trial continues.