Claire Holland: Murder accused asked prisoner how not to look guilty

Claire Holland disappeared after leaving the Seamus O'Donnell pub on St Nicholas Street in Bristol

A pub chef accused of murdering his ex-partner asked for advice from a fellow prisoner on how not to look guilty.

Darren Osment, 41, is accused of murdering Claire Holland, 32, in Bristol in June 2012. She has not been seen since and her body never found.

Giving evidence at his trial, a prisoner said Mr Osment told him he had strangled Ms Holland and used his "knife-skills" to dispose of her body.

Mr Osment, of Chessel Drive, Patchway, denies her murder.

Jurors at Bristol Crown Court heard evidence from a prisoner who spoke to Mr Osment while he was in Bristol Prison awaiting trial.

Over the course of a day and a bit, the pair had a conversation about what happened between Mr Osment and Ms Holland.

'Looked through me'

Mr Osment allegedly initially told the prisoner, who is giving evidence anonymously, he had not killed his ex-partner, before changing his tact and saying he had killed her and disposed of her body.

The prisoner recounted asking Mr Osment if he had killed Ms Holland.

He said: "Then he [Mr Osment] looked at me, like he was looking through me, like he wanted the ground to swallow him up, he stared right through me.

"He took a second and looked away and said 'nah'."

The prisoner added that Mr Osment then replied straight away after being asked if he loved Ms Holland, and said he "couldn't stand her" as she cost him his son.

Darren Osment is on trial at Bristol Crown Court

The prisoner said he told Mr Osment during the exchange that his body language was going to give him away when asked if he had killed Ms Holland.

The prisoner said that when the pair came back together after lunch Mr Osment allegedly said: "I've been thinking about what you said about my body language giving me away, is it that obvious?

"He asked if I could help with his body language so he didn't look guilty in court.

"I explained it's not that simple it's just how you are as a person."

Mr Osment then took the prisoner through what allegedly happened the day Ms Holland went missing, saying she phoned the pub where he worked to tell him their son's care placement with a relative had fallen through and he was going to be re-assigned.

She rang back later and they arranged to go for a drink, as Mr Osment allegedly told the prisoner Ms Holland would not be able to "give him a fight" once she had a drink.

'She was gone'

The prisoner said he was told how Mr Osment met Ms Holland for a drink at 23:30 BST at a park by a pub.

The prisoner said: "They started talking, got into an argument, she was blaming him for the way he treated her, he was blaming her for losing their son and making things so difficult."

He said Mr Osment told him that Ms Holland "struck him first" and then he found he had his hands around her throat "pushing down on her".

He said Mr Osment then said when he let go "she was gone".

When asked by the prisoner why he has not given over her body, Mr Osment said: "I can't even if I wanted to because she is gone."

When asked to elaborate he said he had "knife skills".

The trial continues.

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