A MAN confessed to killing his girlfriend 19 times from the moment he was handcuffed, a court has heard.

James D’Arcy, 50, continuously told police he had killed Hayley Dean (pictured) “plain and simple” at her home in Derby Road, Bournemouth in September last year, jurors heard.

DC Luke Davis told Winchester Crown Court yesterday that D’Arcy was only formally cautioned after he made two claims about “smashing” in Ms Dean’s head with a hammer because the experience was so “surreal”.

D’Arcy, who had been driven to the Oxford Road police station by his friend Robert Wilson, appeared “ruddy in complexion” and was evidently drunk, DC Davis said.

Defending was Stephen Moses who asked DC Davis: “You didn’t think that the very first comment should be taken seriously, did you?”

“This was not a normal scenario,” DC Davis responded. “This was, in effect, quite surreal. We could be faced with someone who has murdered his wife or we could be faced with a person with mental health problems.”

D’Arcy denies murder.

Mr Wilson told the court that D’Arcy turned up at his home drunk, “rambling and crying” claiming to have killed Ms Dean and had slept next to her body.

He also claimed D’Arcy wanted to end his life.

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.

He then took D’Arcy to the station still in disbelief at what he’d been told - several hours after the alleged incident.

DC Benjamin Griffin told the court that D’Arcy was spotless in appearance with the exception of a single speck of blood on his lapel.

Ms Dean’s neighbour, Michael Figes, said he heard 15 thuds the night Ms Dean died - different to the “normal bangs and clashes” he would hear.

The trial continues.