Russell Bishop trial: Father 'watched sex tape of daughter'

Barrie Fellows has denied involvement in the abuse and murder of his daughter and her friend

The ex-girlfriend of a man accused of killing two young girls has described seeing the father of one of the victims "watching his daughter having sex".

Marion Stevenson was 16 years old when Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway were sexually assaulted and strangled in Wild Park, Brighton, in October 1986.

She told the Old Bailey that Barrie Fellows had been viewing images on a TV of Nicola with the family's lodger.

Russell Bishop is on trial for a second time accused of their murders.

The convicted paedophile, now 52, and formerly from Brighton, was cleared of the children's murders in 1987.

Karen Hadaway (left) and Nicola Fellows went missing after they had gone out to play

In 1990, he was convicted of abducting, sexually assaulting and trying to kill a seven-year-old girl.

Ms Stevenson, now aged 48, was called to give evidence for the defence team which has cast suspicion on Mr Fellows.

She told jurors she first got to know Bishop through the Fellows' lodger Dougie Judd, who was a good friend and "like a brother".

She said she was "always" hanging around in Mr Judd's room at their house in Brighton.

She recalled how one afternoon, a couple of months before the murder, she was there "smoking pot" and drinking with Mr Judd, his brother Tim and Bishop.

'Sexual noises'

She said: "I was going to go to the kitchen to get a drink of water because I was thirsty and you have to go through the front room.

"I first heard sexual noises so I turned round to where the noises were coming from, which was the TV.

"Nicky (Nicola) was on Dougie's bed with him. Dougie touched her and got on top of her and was having sex. They were both undressed," the court heard.

Ms Stevenson said Mr Fellows and another man were watching the images on the television and she observed them unseen for two minutes.

Joel Bennathan QC asked if she had any doubt it was Nicola in the video.

Bishop was acquitted of the murders in 1987 and is on trial for a second time

Ms Stevenson replied: "No, definitely."

Mr Fellows has denied claims he was party to the sexual abuse and murder of Nicola and her friend.

Giving evidence earlier in the trial, he also denied being party to his daughter being filmed in a homemade pornographic video and watching it.

Ms Stevenson went on to tell the court how Bishop had failed to turn up to meet her on 9 October, the evening the girls went missing.

When they both joined the search the next day, Bishop described last seeing the children out "conkering", and said he had felt guilty "because he wished he had told them to go home".

He allegedly told her: "I hope I don't find the bodies if they have been murdered."

Jurors were told that Bishop later told Ms Stevenson about finding the bodies "cuddling up together", and that they had been strangled.

Cross-examining, Brian Altman QC asked: "Had anybody mentioned before this happened the girls had been strangled?"

Ms Stevenson replied: "No."

The trial continues.