Bali murder trial: Accused UK man claims he feared for his life

British man David Taylor is accused of murder

A British man feared for his life during a fight with a Bali policeman he is accused of killing, a court in Indonesia has heard.

David Taylor, 34, and his Australian girlfriend Sara Connor, 46, are both charged with murdering Wayan Sudarsa.

Mr Sudarsa's body was found on Bali's Kuta beach on 17 August with head and neck wounds.

In court on Tuesday, Mr Taylor said he approached Mr Sudarsa believing he may have stolen Ms Connor's handbag.

When the encounter escalated into a fight, Mr Taylor has admitted he hit Mr Sudarsa with items including binoculars and a beer bottle.

"I had a feeling I was going to die," Mr Taylor told the Denpasar District Court.

"I'd never been in this situation before and I was very scared. I was scared for my life."

Both Mr Taylor and Ms Connor face up to 15 years in jail if they are found guilty of murder.

Mr Taylor testified that Ms Connor's only involvement was trying to stop the fight. The police officer was still breathing when the pair left the beach, Mr Taylor said.

He claimed they wanted to go to the police, but "we didn't know where the police station was and no-one would take us".

Instead they returned to their guesthouse, where they showered and washed their blood-stained clothes, the court heard.

Mr Taylor said he took Mr Sudarsa's wallet from the beach, before Ms Connor cut up the cards inside.

"This was to protect the victim - in Australia you can take the cards and use them," Mr Taylor said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

He said he had taken the wallet because he wanted to identify his attacker to police.

Mr Taylor - who performs as DJ Nutzo - is originally from Halifax and had been dating Ms Connor for four months.

Ms Connor, right, maintains her innocence

Following Mr Taylor's testimony, Ms Connor told reporters she was "glad finally the truth has come out". She hoped she could return to Australia, where she was two children.

Ms Connor has maintained she did not kill Mr Sudarsa and only fled the beach because she was scared.

"I only thought it was a punch-up between two men," she told the media. "I never knew that the policeman was seriously hurt."

The pair are being tried separately. Ms Connor is due to give evidence at Mr Taylor's trial at a later date.