Murder suspect 'was with friend'

Natasha Derby died the day after being shot on a dance floor

A man accused of murdering a woman on a dance floor had his arms around a female friend when the shot was fired, a court heard.

Dwane Haughton, 29, of Reading, Berks, spent the night of Natasha Derby's killing with Dominique Grandison, 19, Reading Crown Court heard on Monday.

Miss Derby, 23, was shot in the head at the Multi-Racial Centre in High Wycombe, Bucks, in September last year.

Mr Haughton denies charges of murder, manslaughter and possessing ammunition.

Miss Derby, from High Wycombe, died on 5 September at Wycombe General Hospital.

Statement changed

Mr Haughton was arrested in November after his fingerprint was found on a gun cartridge recovered from the centre, the court heard.

Ms Grandison told the jury that on the night of the tragedy Mr Haughton had spent most of the evening with her in the centre.

At the time the shot rang out she told the court Mr Haughton had been "really close, his hands around my waist".

The pregnant mother-of-one admitted in court that she had lied in her first statement to police about whom she had travelled to the party with, later changed her statement.

She said she had not known Mr Haughton was a suspect until the time of her second statement to police in early November last year.

In the intervening weeks, the court heard, she met Mr Haughton about seven times but she said they had never spoken about the murder.

The trial continues.