A LAB worker laughed in the dock today as he described his actions after allegedly strangling his co-worker to death.
Ross McCullum allegedly attacked Megan Newborough, 23, "with great violence" before embarking on a "calculated and carefully executed" cover-up.
The 30-year-old strangled HR Adviser Megan then told police he cut her throat to "make sure" she was dead, jurors heard.
Leicester Crown Court was told McCullum admits manslaughter but denies murder - claiming he killed her in a "blond rage".
He was asked about why he watched pornography after killing Megan during his evidence today.
McCullum claimed it was a "safety blanket" that "makes you feel better for a short period of time".
John Cammegh KC, prosecuting, asked: "That's what you did at 7am, for some 17 minutes, after killing Megan?"
McCullum laughed as he said: "Yes. I'm being completely honest.
"I know how bad it makes me look."
Mr Cammegh asked: "What are you laughing for?"
"I was trying to answer, but you interrupted me," replied McCullum.
The alleged killer also told jurors it was "escapism from what I've just done".
The court was told the pair met each other in June last year while working at Leicestershire-based brick company Ibstock.
They had exchanged flirtatious messages and were in a "relationship of sorts" for around a month before Megan was killed, jurors heard.
She was said to have "indulged the defendant with nothing but empathy, kindness and endless patience" during the fling.
'GREAT VIOLENCE'
On August 6 last year, Megan drove to McCullum's parent's home in Coalville, Leicestershire, where she was killed sometime between 8.15pm and 8.50pm.
Mr Cammegh said: "He would have shown her into the front room. And at some point within the next 30 to 40 minutes he attacked her with great violence."
The court was told that after making an attempt to clean bloodstains from the carpet at his parents house, McCullum changed his clothes.
He then dragged Megan's body to her white Citroen C3 and texted her saying "You are f***ing amazing" followed by a smiley face and three kisses, it was said.
Jurors were told he dumped the HR adviser's body over a stone wall into a "tall, dense mass of bracken tangled with overgrown brambles".
McCullum also allegedly "jettisoned" Megan's iPhone into thick undergrowth and was captured on CCTV chucking blood-stained clothing into bins.
He then ditched Megan's car, changed his clothes and got a taxi to take him near to his home to "presumably avoid prying eyes", the court heard.
Jurors heard McCullum also texted and called Megan's phone that night and the following morning to "further cover his tracks".
He told jurors today he felt like "crap" after sending the fake messages and claimed: "I hate myself for that".
A post-mortem found Megan had suffered 14 neck wounds in total, the court heard.
Officers recovered 3,500 WhatsApp messages between the pair that "quickly" changed from being "largely innocent to overwhelmingly sexual", it was said.
Jurors were told how McCullum became "increasingly distorted and unpleasant" in the texts and spoke of sexual fetishes where he wanted Megan to call him "Lord Commander".
The trial continues
