The Dublin-based alternative medicine "professor" accused of murdering an employee has denied claims that he planned to dispose of her body shortly after stabbing her to death in her Dublin flat.
Christopher Newman admitted to a London jury that he had driven around Naas and the Curragh in Co Kildare before turning back to Dublin within hours of fatally wounding Georgina Eager (28) at her home next to his clinic on St Peter's Road in Walkinstown.
However, he rejected suggestions by prosecuting counsel Michael Birnbaum QC that he had been trying to find somewhere to dump Ms Eager's body.
Asked whether mud stains on a wheel arch and pedals of his car indicated he was looking for "rubbish dumps" in the area, Mr Newman replied: "Your conscience allows you to ask this question?" The defendant said his intention had been to find a location to kill himself.
Mr Newman (63), who practised under the name of Prof Saph Dean, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Eager on May 22nd, 2003, claiming he stabbed the Co Wicklow woman in self-defence.
He is being tried at the Inner London Crown Court under legislation which allows him to stand trial in Britain for an offence allegedly committed in another jurisdiction.
Mr Birnbaum put it to Mr Newman that if he wanted to kill himself after Ms Eager's death he could have walked to the Grand Canal less than a mile away from his clinic and "chucked yourself in".
"No. It's too far away," Mr Newman replied, adding, "You can't kill yourself in a canal." The defendant said he had instead resolved to travel to London and drown himself in the Thames. CCTV footage was shown to the court of him withdrawing money from a cash machine before travelling to Dublin airport.
When he was arrested in London he had £41, €912 and about £200 worth of rupees in his possession. He denied suggestions he had got the money together to help him "run away" to India and avoid prosecution.
The trial continues.