Murder accused 'no recollection'

The 36-year-old was found dead at her home in Tredworth

A man seriously injured in a house fire allegedly started after killing his lover said he cannot remember what happened, a court has been told.

Matthew Bayle, 24, told the jury he had sex with Louise Hall, 36, after taking drugs and alcohol, then fell asleep.

He said he had no other recollection before waking up in hospital later.

Mr Bayle, of Leonard Road, Tredworth, denies murdering Miss Hall and setting fire to her home in Gloucester on 17 August 2007. The case continues.

'Suicide bid denied'

Mr Bayle escaped naked from the fire through the ground floor bedroom window suffering 15% burns and was taken by air ambulance to a specialist burns unit at Swansea hospital.

It is alleged that he took an overdose of paracetamol before setting fire to the house, but told the court he denied he had ever tried to take his own life

Mr Bayle could shed no light on what happened during their sex session when he took the stand at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday.

He said: "After we had sex I remember laying in bed with her and my memory after that was being in hospital."

When asked by the prosecution if Miss Hall could have suffered her injuries during sex Mr Bayle said he could not recall whether he had been rigorous but told the jury that he had not done anything that could have caused her injuries.

A post-mortem examination on Miss Hall revealed she had suffered a fractured larynx and bruising to her face, neck and chest.

The hearing at Bristol Crown Court is due to continue on Wednesday.