Maxine Carr distances herself from Ian Huntley

During evidence to the Old Bailey today, Maxine Carr lashed out at her former boyfriend saying she would not take the blame for "what that thing in the box has done to me", referring to Ian Huntley.

Ms Carr, 26, told the court that she had been forced to lie to police by her "very controlling" boyfriend. She denies charges of assisting an offender and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

During inquiries into the disappearance of the two girls, Maxine Carr told police in a statement that she had been with Mr Huntley at his house on Sunday August 4, and that the girls had not been there.

However, she admitted in court today that she had lied to police. Ms Carr had been at her mother's house in Grimsby that Sunday.

Her former boyfriend, Ian Huntley, is accused of murdering 10-year-old Soham schoolgirls Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells shortly after they went missing on August 4 this year. He denies murder but admits one charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Mr Huntley claims that both girls died accidentally in his home.

Under cross-examination today Maxine Carr told Mr Huntley's defence counsel, Stephen Coward QC, that the accused had pressured her into lying. She said that she had lied because she loved Mr Huntley and believed him to be innocent of any wrongdoing.

Ms Carr said: "When I was being interviewed by police, they were trying to say my partner, the man I loved, was a murderer.

"They were trying to say I was a murderer too. They were trying to get every bit of information about him that was bad from me... That's why a lot of the time I tried to make it look better for Ian."

Ms Carr denied misleading police full in the knowledge that both girls were already dead. She stated that Mr Huntley's revelation in court last week that he had been responsible for the deaths of the girls was the first time that she had heard such a admission.

The trial continues.

(gmcg)