Accused's wife linked to Krays

A court has heard that a woman who accused her husband of carrying out a masked knife attack on a teenage girl, has connections to the infamous Kray twins.

The jury at the Old Bailey were told that Ann Haywood was left money in gangster Ronnie Kray's will.

Her husband Ian Haywood, 37, of Willow Way, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, denies attempting to kill a 17-year-old girl, attempting to rape her and other offences at a Ditchling Common beauty spot.

The alleged offences took place in January last year.

'Underworld friends'

At a previous hearing, Mrs Haywood told the jury that her husband had walked into the family home carrying a blood-soaked knife and told her: "I don't know whether she's dead or not."

On Wednesday, Mr Haywood's defence suggested that she had "friends in the underworld" and had set Mr Haywood up.

Mrs Haywood, 37, denied the suggestions but admitted in court that she had known the Krays from the age of 18, and visited Ronnie Kray in Broadmoor.

She also admitted that she had been left money in Ronnie's will but had refused to take it.

Mrs Haywood told the jury: "It was about £2,000, I think.

"I did not want it."

Prostitution

She added that she had visited Ronnie in Broadmoor because she was trying to be a freelance journalist at the time and wanted to interview him.

Mrs Haywood also told the court that she had reluctantly engaged in prostitution in January 2000.

She said: "My husband arranged for me to go to a brothel. It was the most miserable 12 hours in my life.

"I was very fortunate. The customers didn't want me and I came home in tears."

She told the jury she had not been to visit her husband since his arrest but denied knowing of someone else who had worn his clothes on the night of the attack.

The prosecution allege that unemployed Mr Haywood threatened the 17-year-old girl and her boyfriend with a gun.

It is alleged he then locked her boyfriend in the boot of the car and stabbed her 35 times.

He was arrested after his wife contacted police to allege he was the attacker.

The trial continues.