A MAN accused of bludgeoning a 77-year-old grandmother to death told police he could not be 100 per cent sure he didn’t have sexual involvement with her on the day she died.

Matthew Hamlen was being quizzed by detectives about the murder of Georgina Edmonds who was battered with a rolling pin and suffered stab wounds across her body.

The 36-year-old is on trial accused of the killing for the second time, having previously been acquitted by a jury in 2012.

Jurors at Winchester Crown Court heard the contents of his interviews with police, which took place over four days following his first arrest in June 2010.

During that time he told officers that the chances of him not having sexual interaction with the pensioner was “a percentage in the nineties” adding “I don’t think anything’s ever 100 per cent... not many things are guaranteed”.

In later interviews he went on to say he thought that figure was higher than 90 per cent, telling officers “I’m as certain as I possibly can be”.

In transcripts read to the court, Hamlen repeatedly told police he “couldn’t remember” if he had been to the scene of the murder on the day Mrs Edmonds died in the kitchen of her home in Kiln Lane, Brambridge, on January 11, 2008 and urged detectives to “move on” with their questions.

The interviews were carried out by detective constable Dave Bolton, who suggested to Hamlen that he had a “selective memory” in his ability to recall some things but not others as he revealed they had recovered evidence which “forensically linked” him to the murder scene.

Scientists had made the discovery on a rolling pin inside the pensioner's kitchen, which Hamlen said “to the best of my knowledge” he didn’t touch.

Asked if he was in fear of someone else who was with him who did murder Mrs Edmonds, he told detectives “no”.

He told police: “I cannot honestly account for my whereabouts on a date three years ago. I haven’t witnessed anyone else murder anyone, that would ring a bell.”

He denied that the murder of Mrs Edmonds had happened as a result of a burglary that had gone wrong.

The court heard that during early interviews with police, Hamlen disclosed that he used cocaine “recreationally” and had at some time owed drug debts and may have been threatened or put under pressure about repaying them.

Hamlen, from Eastleigh, denies murder.

Proceeding