Mr Ian Huntley has denied toying with the emotions of Holly Wells' father four days after the schoolgirl died in his bathroom.
The 29-year-old, who was being cross-examined in the witness box, told the jury he had acted "inexcusably" by telling Mr Kevin Wells he hoped "everything turns out OK."
Prosecution counsel Richard Latham QC referred to a comment made during a BBC Look Eastinterview by Huntley.
He said: "I had a brief chat with him just to say, basically, I hope everything turns out OK and that the kids return safely home." Mr Huntley had also referred to Mr Wells as Kev and described him as being "really very distressed".
Mr Latham then put to Huntley: "And so you had a chat with Kev, did you, on that August 7, Mr Huntley?" He replied: "Yes."
Mr Latham said that when Mr Huntley told Mr Wells he hoped everything would turn out OK, that was "just inexcusable, wasn't it?" Mr Huntley agreed.
Mr Latham said: "And it was done to portray an image to benefit you, wasn't it?" He replied: "Yes."
Mr Latham put it to Huntley that he was "playing with the emotions of that parent". Huntley replied: "I wasn't playing with anybody's emotions."
Mr Latham then quoted more of the interview in which Huntley said there was "still a glimmer of hope and I would go along with that".
Mr Latham paused, allowing Mr Huntley to reply. Mr Huntley said: "I was expressing the views of other people that had been speaking about the case."
Quoting from the interview, Mr Latham said: "I would go along with that?" Mr Huntley replied: "Yes, that's what I said." Mr Latham asked: "So you have still got hope?" Mr Huntley replied: "Yes, yes."
Mr Latham said: "Words uttered by you, the person who had dumped these two bodies in the ditch, Mr Huntley, and you knew when you said that you have." Mr Huntley replied: "Yes."
Mr Latham: "And yet you could stand and face the camera and face the interviewer and tell bare-faced lies, that's what they are, aren't they?"
Mr Huntley replied: "I didn't want to do those interviews." Mr Latham said: "But you did, didn't you?"Mr Huntley, who denies the girls' murder, replied: "They didn't leave me with much choice."
PA