Accused refuses to give evidence

The bodies of Bonne Barrett and Xiao Mei Guo have never been found

A man accused of killing two women whose bodies have never been found has refused to give further evidence in his murder trial at the Old Bailey.

Derek Brown, 47, denies murdering Xiao Mei Guo, 29, and Bonnie Barrett, 24, after allegedly luring them back to his flat in Rotherhithe, east London.

Mr Brown, originally from Preston in Lancashire, refused to go back into the witness box to face cross examination.

He told the judge he understood the implications of refusing to testify.

Refused cross-examination

The delivery driver gave evidence in court on Monday and said he paid prostitute Ms Barrett and Ms Xiao, an illegal Chinese immigrant who sold fake DVDs in Whitechapel market in east London, for sex.

Although Mr Brown was cross-examined by prosecutor Brian Altman QC on Monday he refused to give any more evidence as the trial resumed on Tuesday.

When Judge Martin Stephens QC asked Mr Brown: "You know that if you refuse to answer further questions the jury may draw such conclusions as they feel appropriate? You understand that fully?"

He replied: "Yes."

"You still refuse to return to the witness box?" asked the judge.

Again, he replied: "Yes."

Ms Xiao was last seen in August 2007 selling DVDs in the market and CCTV pictures showed her with Mr Brown by Whitechapel Tube station.

Miss Barrett, who worked as a prostitute, disappeared from the same area on 18 September 2007.

Earlier the court heard blood spots and smears were found in Mr Brown's flat and there appeared to have been attempts to clean them off.

The trial continues.