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Murdered girl 'knew accused man'

Guy Dingle, 15, told Chester Crown Court he saw Claire sitting in a field with 20-year-old Craig Smith, described as a jobless "loner".

Mr Smith, of Buglawton near Congleton, Cheshire, denies murdering her on 18 June last year.

"They were talking to each other," he told the jury. "It was a relaxed mood, with Claire talking happily. I carried on to school."

Later that day, 13-year-old Claire was beaten, shot with an air rifle, and strangled. Her body was thrown into a fast-flowing river near her home.

The teenager said he usually walked to lessons at Dane Valley High School with Claire, but they had quarrelled.

"Claire was not happy at school," he said. "She didn't have many friends and she was bullied."

Unusual walk

On the third day of the trial, the jury has been hearing from friends and neighbours of the murdered girl.

Claire's geography teacher, Patrick Coates, told the jury he had seen her "hopping and skipping" down the road on the morning of her death, and had seemed happy.

This, he said, was unusual, because she usually walked quite differently when he drove past her on his way to school.

Later that morning, Mr Coates was due to teach Claire's class, but noticed she was absent and had not registered at school.

The trial continues.

Relevant Stories

Man 'beat, shot and strangled' schoolgirl (04 May 99 | UK)

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