THE man accused of conspiring to kill his former step-mum Pennie Davis admitted to jurors that he felt some responsiblity towards her death.

Giving evidence for the second day at Winchester Crown Court, Ben Carr said he was responsible for putting Justin Robertson in the field where the 47-year-old mum of five was stabbed to death.

When asked by his own defence barrister what responsibility he had for Pennie's death, Carr replied: “For putting Justin Robertson up to scaring her and basically putting him there.

“I am just as much as guilty as him for putting him there.”

But the 22-year-old added there was never any plot to kill her and he never wanted her dead.

Carr, of Edward Road, Shirley, is charged with conspiracy to murder Pennie, who was found stabbed to death in a field, near Beaulieu, on September 2, last year.

Samantha Maclean, 28, of Beech Crescent, Hythe, is also charged with conspiracy to murder. Robertson, 36, is charged with murder and conspiracy to murder. They all deny the charges.

Carr also described to the court the moment that Robertson revealed to him that their plan to “scare” the supermarket worker had “gone wrong”.

He told jurors that Robertson told him he and Pennie had a “scuffle” in the horse field at Leygreen Farm, during which she pulled off his balaclava, revealing his face.

Carr said Robertson explained that he “panicked”, stabbed her three times and expected that she was dead.

Carr said his head started to spin and that his “worst nightmare had come true”.

He added: “I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I didn't know if I could believe him, I sort of know Justin and thought he's not capable of doing something like this.”

Carr said he asked Robertson why he had the knife and Robertson said it was to cut the rope.

When asked by his barrister what the aim of the plot was, Carr replied: “Her to leave my family alone, let myself and my family get on with our lives and her to get on with her new life with her new husband and her family.”

Asked why he never told police any of this during his interviews, he said it was because he feared for his safety and the safety of his family as Robertson had told him to keep his mouth shut.

Asked why he was telling the truth now he said: “I have relaised I have got to tell the truth, no matter what.”

He was also asked about the threats made to him by Robertson when Robertson was giving his evidence in court last week and Carr said that to him they meant he was “coming to kill me”.

Earlier in the morning Carr, who admitted he had a drug habit, explained how the pair hatched the plot to scare Pennie.

He said he first agreed to give Robertson £1,500 in fake money as it had street value, but later Robertson changed his mind and wanted £400 in real cash and seven grams of high purity cocaine - worth around £700.

He said the plan which Robertson described as “easy work” was to warn Pennie to stay away from Carr's family and his dad's upcoming wedding.

Carr said Robertson came up with the idea to wear a balaclava and take rope to tire her hands up.

When asked how serious the threats to Pennie were going to be, Carr said: “Very serious, shake you to the core.”

When asked why he felt the need to get an alibi on September 2, Carr, who has no previous convictions, said it was because he viewed what they had planned was a “serious thing”.

Proceeding.