THE man accused of murdering a Southampton dad dressed up in women’s clothes in an attempt to cover up the fact that he had been in a fight with him, a court heard.

Cage fighter Damon Wright told police that he went to call for help for Kevin Wyeth dressed in a ladies’ anorak and tied a blouse around his legs to make it look like he was wearing a skirt.

Winchester Crown Court heard that the 32-year-old scaffolder admitted during interviews with police that he had been in a fight with the ex-partner of his girlfriend and used the disguise to hide the fact that he had been involved.

Wright, who denies murdering Saints groundsman Kevin, told officers that he had left Kevin unconscious in an alleyway in Woolston and started to become worried when time had passed and he had not woken up.

The jury heard how Wright wore the disguise as he left Highlands House, where his girlfriend, Samantha Slater, lived. He then called a taxi from a phone box to the alleyway between Defender Road and Tankerville Road where he had left Kevin, in the hope that they would find him.

Police interviews with Wright were read out to the court, in which he told officers: “I left the flat again in different clothes.

“No shoes and socks and a white skirt and green anorak.

“I wore no shoes and socks, I wore my shorts but over the top of that I wore a white blouse which I tied to look like a white skirt.

“I was trying to minimise the implications of me and Sam at the time. So I left the flat in this white skirt and anorak and carrying my trainers with me.”

It was also during these interviews that the jury heard how Wright, from Dorset, admitted to fighting with Kevin in the alleyway where he was later found dead, but insisted that he acted in selfdefence, claiming that Kevin had thrown the first punch.

He said in interview: “I threw with everything I had because I was in fear. I was afraid of him.

“I didn’t want any opportunity for him to be able to beat me.”

The court also heard how Wright told police that he believed the fight was all over in about 20 seconds, with Wright throwing about ten punches, six when Kevin was standing up and then another four when Wright had pulled his victim to the ground.

The jury heard Wright say that it was with the penultimate punch that Kevin was knocked unconscious.

Proceeding.