Tania Moore's car was run off the road

Mark Dyche, 31, admitted calling Tania Moore and her friends "witches" who should be branded, but told the court he never threatened to kill her.

The pair broke up after the relationship "went stale" claimed Mr Dyche, of Marston Montgomery, Derbys.

He denies murdering his former girlfriend on 29 March last year.

Previous threats

He also denies conspiracy to rob her a year earlier.

Tania Moore was found shot dead in her car on a country road near her home in Alkmonton.

Nottingham Crown Court also heard how Mr Dyche claimed that he borrowed �2,000 from his new girlfriend to buy a gun, and not to pay for Miss Moore to be robbed and attacked in her Derbyshire home as the prosecution alleged.

Taking the witness stand for the first time on Wednesday, he told the court he had never made any threats against Miss Moore's brother Justin, or talked about messing up her home and riding stable.

He admitted throwing a drink over the young riding instructor and wagging his finger at her, but said he never made any kind of shooting gesture towards her as described by two witnesses.

When asked about his conviction for making threats to kill his former wife Paula Halliwell, whom he broke up with in 1993, Dyche said he made the threats in temper and admitted that some of his behaviour had been discreditable.