Stepdaughter murder trial told of 'panic'

Mike Baldwin pretended that his stepdaughter Jenna was still alive

A man accused of murdering his stepdaughter told a court he lied about her whereabouts to convince his wife and the police that she was still alive.

Michael Baldwin claimed that he had seen Jenna Baldwin, 15, with a friend and pretended to be her when he made telephone calls and sent text messages.

The teenager disappeared from her south Wales home last September.

Her body was found buried at a nearby beauty spot about 12 weeks later.

Mr Baldwin, 36, who denies murder, says Jenna fell down the stairs as they argued.

I didn't have the guts to tell her Mike Baldwin on lying to his wife

He says he panicked and buried her body when she died as he was taking her to hospital.

The factory worker has admitted that he made up a story to tell his wife, Desiree, saying that Jenna had been home with a friend on one of the days she was missing.

Desiree Baldwin: her husband told the court manipulated her

Mr Baldwin told a jury at Cardiff Crown Court: "If I said she was back with another girl, she (Mrs Baldwin) would not ask me questions."

The jury has heard how Mr Baldwin also made a series of telephone calls and sent text messages purporting to be from Jenna to family members.

Mr Baldwin said: "I just wanted to pretend she had just run away after what happened on the stairs.

"I just thought it would make people think she was still alive."

On one occasion, the court heard, Mr Baldwin telephoned his 10-year-old son pretending to be Jenna.

Cross-examining Mr Baldwin, David Aubrey QC, prosecuting, said: "How did you feel about deliberately and cynically using him in the way you did?" Mr Baldwin replied: "Terrible."

Mike Baldwin denies murdering his step-daughter

He agreed that he had cynically manipulated his wife, whom he loved.

Asked why he had lied to her, pretending Jenna was alive, he answered: "Because of what I had done. I couldn't tell her what had happened.

"I didn't have the guts to tell her."

Mr Baldwin, of Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, told Mr Aubrey that he had considered Jenna to be his own daughter.

Mr Aubrey asked: "How could you do such an appalling thing to your daughter?"

Mr Baldwin replied: "Because I was scared and I was panicking, I didn't know what to do.

"I was scared Des wouldn't believe what had happened."

The trial continues.