A CARER has denied planning the murder of her ex fiance with a former lover.

Rebecca Ryan took to the witness box and rejected suggestions she had any reason to want Michael Beckwith dead.

The 22-year-old told the court it was fellow murder suspect Scott Swift who was “jealous and controlling”.

She said: “He didn’t like me hanging around with my friends or hanging around with guys. It got a bit too much.”

So she broke it off with him in February last year and then started seeing the 44-year-old victim Michael Beckwith who she met at work.

Ryan told the jury Swift was angry when she broke it off.

She said: “He would phone me all the time, coming to my work, phoning up my work to make sure I was at work and constantly phoning me up and messaging me."

She told Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday Swift saw her kissing Mr Beckwith.

When Mr Beckwith drove off Swift gave chase on his motorbike.

The court heard Swift would wait outside her home and would not leave her alone.

On the other hand she said her break-up with Mr Beckwith, a few days before he died, was much smoother.

She said: “He was a lovely guy. If you ever needed any help he would help you out. He was funny, kind, just a lovely person.”

However Ryan still spoke regularly to Swift on the phone, by text message, and on social media and they would meet up.

In the days before Mr Beckwith was killed she would speak to him and then call Swift.

The prosecution claim she was plotting with Swift for him to be attacked or threatened.

Swift stopped answering questions about his alleged involvement in the attack on July 31, off Barrack Lane, Harwich, yesterday.

Judge Charles Gratwicke QC said the jury were entitled to infer what they wished from that.

Mr Beckwith, 44, of Goodlake Close, Dovercourt, died on August 2.

Swift, 27, of Station Road, Dovercourt, Smith, 18, of Canning Street, Harwich, and Ryan, 22, of Hilltop Rise, Weeley, deny murder.

Ryan is also charged with perverting the course of justice.

Triston Biddlecombe, 24, and wife Enderlein Biddlecombe, 20, both of East Street, Harwich, deny assisting offenders and perverting the course of justice.

Smith has admitted manslaughter.

The trial continues.