A man has told a court he feels ashamed of unintentionally taking the life of a woman who was a sex worker and leaving her body to be found by her 18-year-old son. Samantha Holden, 56, was found suffocated and strangled in the living room of her flat in Hampshire, Her client, Adam Watson, 37, of Eastchurch, Kent, told Winchester Crown Court he slapped the mother of two in anger when she was smirking during sex. However, he said he did not intend to kill or seriously hurt her and denies a charge of murder.
Not long after 16:00 BST, police were summoned to Ms Holden’s flat on Church Road West.
The jury was informed that the boy found his mother unconscious on the floor, fully enveloped in a blue dressing gown with her panties tucked in by her knees.
Two days later, Mr. Watson was taken into custody in a Belgian hotel.
The defendant testified that Ms Holden used cocaine at her flat before dying on their sixth appointment.
He stated: “I still feel guilty or ashamed… because I had unintentionally taken that person’s life, a person I had a good relationship with.”
Mr. Watson, who was born and raised in Newcastle before relocating to Farnborough, acknowledged his role in her demise but denied intentionally strangling her.
“Everything was spinning,” he remarked. I knew she was gone, so I refrained from calling the police.”I’m obviously embarrassed and horrified right now, and I’m not talking to anyone, but I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
On a previous occasion in 2013, the defendant said he left a woman unconscious at his home after striking her.
However, he denied sexually assaulting her and removing her clothing. He told the jury the situation was different at the time because he was previously abusing alcohol and cocaine and was upset over his father’s failing health. Before leaving Ms Holden’s flat, the factory worker said he covered her body, took her phone and responded “Ha ha” to a friend’s message on a WhatsApp group. Anna Vigars KC, prosecuting, asked the defendant how angry he was when he slapped Ms Watson. He replied: “A bit, seconds, but once I’d done it, I didn’t mean events to happen.” The trial continues.
About The Author
