THE man accused of murdering Southampton schoolgirl Lucy McHugh text the teenager's mother telling her to "keep her chin up" on the day her daughter disappeared, a court has heard.

Jury members were today told how phone records from Stephen Nicholson's mobile show he replied to Lucy's mother Stacey White on July 25 last year, the day the 13-year-old was reported missing.

Lucy's body was found in a wooded area of Southampton Sport Centre the following day.

See coverage from the trial as it happened 

The court heard in one text, Nicholson said: "I hope they find her safe. Police are good at their job and they will find her soon.

"Keep your chin up and stay positive."

Nicholson, 25, of no fixed address, is accused of murdering Lucy, which he denies.

He also denies two allegations of sexual activity with a child against Lucy on multiple occasions and denies sexual activity with a child in relation to another girl aged 14.

Today the jury in the trial, at Winchester Crown Court, listened to evidence by a Hampshire Constabulary intelligence analyst, who spoke about data from Nicholson's phone.

The jury was told how Lucy had set up a second Facebook account the night before her death, according to data on an Ipad Mini found at her parent's address.

The court was also told how Nicholson's Gmail account received notification of a friend request by Lucy and an email notification that she had sent him a message via Facebook messenger on July 25.

The jury was also shown maps of GPS data, showing Nicholson's phone at a friend's address near to the Sports Centre on the morning of Lucy's disappearance.

The GPS data also showed Nicholson's phone travelling away from the address, in Dunkirk Road, around 11am, and stopping briefly at Tanners Brook.

Prosecuting, William Mousley QC referred jury members back to his opening, in which he told the court that clothes with blood on - matching Lucy's DNA - were found nearby.

The court also heard how data belonging to Nicholson's phone showed a Google search using the search term 'what time is good to start a bonfire' on July 25.

The trial continues on Monday.