THE FAMILY of teenager Hannah Foster looked on as the man accused of raping and killing her began giving evidence yesterday.

Dressed in a grey suit and open-necked shirt Maninder Pal Singh Kohli was flanked by security officers when he walked into the witness box as his defence case got underway.

It is the first time Hannah’s parents, who were sitting in the public gallery with their daughter Sarah, have come face-to-face with Kohli since he was extradited from India last July.

After revealing details about his background and childhood he went on to describe how he had moved to Southampton from India in 1994 after marrying his wife Shalinder Kaur.

Describing how he had “financial difficulties” in 2003, Kohli told jurors he was “a very addicted gambler” and had been for some years, visiting casinos and betting on horses.

Kohli said: “It was like a serious sickness to me” adding that he owed “a few people” money.

In February 2001, the court heard, Kohli began work as a driver for sandwich delivery firm Hazelwood Foods, in Empress Road, Southampton. Taking home about £210 a week, he began borrowing money from his colleague James Dennis.

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