Murder accused Matthew Hamlen denies killing grandmother Georgina Edmonds

Hamlen, 37,is accused of battering Mrs Edmonds, 77, to death at her riverside cottage at Brambridge near Eastleigh in January 2008.

This morning at Winchester Crown Court Hamlen started to give evidence before the nine-man and three-woman jury.

William Mousley QC, defending, asked Hamlen if he had murdered Mrs Edmonds. He said: "No."

Asked how the four days were whilst in custody in June 2010, Hamlen replied: "Hell. I could not eat or sleep. It wasn't a nice time. It was disbelief, shock. I was concerned for my mother, my family. I knew it would be over the press, my career was ruined. Basically they destroyed my life."

The court saw CCTV footage of Hamlen in Eastleigh town centre later that day and into the evening.

Earlier Hamlen said he was born at Winchester hospital but has lived most of his life in Bishopstoke. He went to Wyvern School in Fair Oak and Eastleigh College with ambitions to become a jet pilot. Those hopes were dashed on medical ground because of a damaged tendon in an eye.

He worked in scaffolding before becoming an electrician about 17 years ago.

Wearing grey trousers, a white shirt and striped tie, Hamlen said he had been in a relationship with Emma White, a hairdresser, since 2004 and they have a son born in 2011. They married in December 2014. He is living in Bishopstoke at an address that he did not want to disclose "because of the press."

After his release from custody following the first trial for the Georgina Edmonds murder, Hamlen said he had no trouble getting work. "It wasn't too bad. Luckily people know me, my friends, my family know I didn't do it, so it was quite easy to get back into work."

The court's heard he has three convictions: for battery in 2003, driving without due care in 2004 and criminal damage to the windscreen of a car belonging to ex-partner Lorraine Rose, also in 2004. He also has two cautions, for causing a dangerous occurrence on a road and possession of cocaine.

Matthew Hamlen

Hamlen admitted to being a drug user, taking cocaine socially but stopping at around his 30th birthday.

The trial has heard the prosecution claim the murderer was filed using Mrs Edmonds card in the Tesco Express ATM in Twyford Road, Eastleigh, after the murder. The figure is seen wearing white trainers and a full length high-vis jacket. Today Hamlen said he had never worn that colour trainers or such a jacket. Asked if "ATM man" was him, Hamlen said"no".

Hamlen denies murder. Proceeding.