Kate Beagley's body was found in woodland in Hertfordshire

Karl Taylor, 27, claims Kate Beagley, a 32-year-old manager with British Gas, killed herself on their first date in Richmond, south west London last May.

But under cross examination Mr Taylor initially refused to show the jury how she "prodded" herself with the knife.

Judge Giles Forrester ordered him to act it out with a paper "knife".

The court has heard that Miss Beagley, from Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, met Mr Taylor in a London nightclub and they arranged to go on a date to the Roebuck pub on Richmond Hill.

Her body was later found, stripped, in a copse in South Oxhey, near Watford, Hertfordshire. She had suffered 31 stab wounds to her head and neck.

Peter Clarke QC, prosecuting, folded up a piece of paper into a roll six inches long and handed it to Mr Taylor, who was smartly dressed in a pink shirt, navy waistcoat and blue patterned tie.

Mr Clarke said: "Show us how Kate was holding the knife."

You are not going to boss us around. You are not there to dictate terms. You are there to demonstrate how she came to lose her life Judge Forrester

"I refuse to do that. I'm not in an emotionally fit state to do that," Mr Taylor replied.

Mr Clarke continued: "How did she stab herself 31 times?"

"No, it was 14 times actually. I absolutely refuse to do that. I'm not going to go into detail of how I perceived her doing it," he replied.

The judge intervened and told Mr Taylor he would have to answer Mr Clarke's questions and added: "You have the opportunity to show the jury, as they might wonder how this happened."

Mr Taylor continued to refuse and then said: "I'm not going to go into it extensively."

'Prodding'

The judge replied: "You are not going to boss us around. You are not there to dictate terms. You are there to demonstrate how she came to lose her life."

Mr Taylor, who had earlier described Miss Beagley's actions as "prodding", eventually agreed to co-operate and made stabbing actions to his own neck with the roll of paper.

"Her hands were all over the place, very rapid. I don't know the trajectory or how it caused the injuries. I can't give you the gory details," he said.

Mr Clarke asked him how long it took and he replied: "Minutes".

"Minutes, you don't mean minutes do you? That's a very long time," said Mr Clarke.

Mr Taylor said he could not give an accurate estimate and said he was completely shocked by her actions.

Suicidal

Last week the court had heard that Mr Taylor, from Covent Garden, central London, took a knife with him on the date because he himself felt suicidal, but he said that when it fell out of his sleeve Miss Beagley picked it up and started stabbing herself.

He said she was "hysterical" and was talking about how she missed her mother.

During cross examination Mr Clarke asked: "Why didn't you save her life?"

"I stepped forward to put my arms around her," he said.

I have already told you what I did. I stepped forward and stuck my hand out. It was an awkward situation to be in Karl Taylor

"But you're a fitness instructor aren't you?" said Mr Clarke.

"Maybe I should have used all my powers. What am I going to do, use my martial arts to get the knife out of her hand?"

"Why not?" asked Mr Clarke.

"But it was an unanticipated situation. How was I going to take the knife out of her hand? What am I going to do, kick her unconscious? Your ideas are so outlandish," said Mr Taylor.

"What is outlandish about suggesting that you try to save her life?" asked the prosecutor.

"I have already told you what I did. I stepped forward and stuck my hand out. It was an awkward situation to be in," he replied.

Mr Taylor denies murder.

The trial continues.