A MAN wanted to lie down and die next to a woman he killed, a court has heard.

James John D'Arcy, 50, wanted to end his life after "stoving" the head in of his girlfriend Hayley Dean at her home in Derby Road, Bournemouth, in September last year, jurors were told.

His friend Robert Wilson told Winchester Crown Court today that D'Arcy - whom he had known about eight years - claimed to have killed Ms Dean and then slept next to her body before confessing to his friend the following afternoon.

D'Arcy showed up at Mr Wilson's home drunk, "rambling and crying" claiming he needed to speak to his friend urgently, Mr Wilson said.

Mr Wilson said: "He said he wanted to take a load of pills then said he wanted to go back to Derby Road to lay down beside her."

D'Arcy refused to call the ambulance or police because "she was definitely dead", Mr Wilson said of his conversation with D'Arcy.

Mr Wilson then took D'Arcy to the Oxford Road police station still in disbelief at what he'd been told on September 16 - several hours after the alleged incident.

He said he found officers there to help him, reiterating D'Arcy's account.

DC Benjamin Griffin told the court that while in custody, D'Arcy continued to claim that he killed Ms Dean while he was being held on suspicion of murder.

D'Arcy denies murder.

The trial continues.