Ex-partner denies waitress murder

Monika Szmecht crawled to a nearby house for help

The former boyfriend of a woman repeatedly stabbed before being set alight has denied her murder.

Anthony Clarke, 27, told the jury that he wished Monika Szmecht no harm, despite her blackmailing him.

Waitress Miss Szmecht, 21, was stabbed six times and set alight in June last year on a lane in Rainford, Merseyside.

At Liverpool Crown Court, Mr Clarke, 27, of West Derby, denied the killing. Another defendant has told the jury that Mr Clarke killed Miss Szmecht.

His best friend Philip Savin, 29, of Bootle has admitted kidnap, making threats and assisting an offender.

He told the jury that Mr Clarke killed Miss Szmecht.

Miss Szmecht managed to stumble to a nearby house and said her boyfriend had attacked her.

Pay off

She died in hospital two hours later and had suffered severe burns.

Mr Clarke, who was dishonourably discharged from the Army for handling stolen goods, said: "I have never hit a girl in my life.

"Why would I hit Monika?"

Miss Szmecht, who was originally from Kloda, Poland, had arranged to meet Mr Clarke to collect £1,000 hours before she was killed.

The waitress had told his sister-in-law that if he paid her the money she would not make an assault allegation against him to police.

The prosecution claim that Mr Clarke, a father of three, abducted Miss Szmecht and held her hostage for several hours before murdering her.

The trial continues.