A WOMAN accused of conspiring to kill Pennie Davis told her childminder that the dead woman was a paedophile who deserved to die.

Samantha Maclean called on childminder Helen Harvey on Monday September 8 last year, a week after the alleged murder of Pennie, 47, in a paddock at Leygreen Farm near Beaulieu, Winchester Crown Court heard this morning. Pennie suffered 13 stab wounds.

Mrs Harvey gave evidence today from behind a screen so was only visible to the jury, judge and counsel, and not to anyone in the public gallery.

She said at one point in a 30-minute conversation Maclean told her: "She deserved it, the lady was a nonce, a kiddy fiddler.' I got quite angry with her and said 'Who the hell are you, judge, jury and executioner?' I hadn't heard that about the lady, it was an awful thing to say. Even if it was true she didn't deserve what had happened to her."

Mrs Harvey said: "There was a lot of gossip about the murder everyone was talking about it. Sam (Maclean) was almost 'I know more than you.' It was almost boastful the way she was talking.

"She asked if I knew her house had been raided (by the police.) I said everybody had heard about it, a big commotion. She laughed and said she could not go home because they had taken her cutlery draw. 'I can't even make a sandwich. They have taken my knives.'

Mrs Harvey added: "She said 'They have my car. I have had it cleaned, they won't find anything.' Again it was quite boastful...like a peacock, which is why it stuck in my head."

Maclean, 28, a mother of five, of Beech Crescent, Hythe, denies conspiracy to kill.

Co-accused is Justin Robertson, 36, of no fixed abode, who denies murder and conspiracy to kill. Benjamin Carr, 22, of Edward Road, Shirley, Southampton, also denies conspiracy to kill.

Mrs Harvey said at one point Maclean said: "'He (Justin) did not do it. Pennie would not have died if she hadn't pulled the balaclava off.' That to me meant he had done it but she said he didn't do it."

Mrs Harvey denied, in cross-examination from Rupert Pardoe QC, for Robertson, that she was reading too much into the balaclava comment.

She said that she went to the police after she heard that Maclean had been arrested on September 11.

Proceeding.