THE man accused of plotting to kill his former step-mum told jurors that her killing has practically “destroyed” his family.

Giving evidence for a third day at Winchester Crown Court, Ben Carr was asked by his barrister how Pennie Davis being ‘murdered’ would help him and his family.

The 22-year-old, who has admitted to dealing cocaine, said: “It wouldn’t help our family because practically it’s destroyed us.”

Carr is accused of conspiring to murder mum-of-five Pennie, who was stabbed to death in a field near Beaulieu on September 2 last year, in a bid to stop her resurrecting historic allegations that he had indecently assaulted girls.

Justin Robertson, 36, is charged with her murder and conspiring to kill her, while Samantha Maclean, 28, is also charged with conspiring to murder.

They all deny the charges.

During his time in the witness box Carr admitted he was a “coward” for not telling the truth to police during his interviews and told jurors that if he hadn’t set up Robertson to “scare” Pennie, she would still be alive today.

Earlier in the day Carr, who admitted that he “hated” Pennie, denied ever making allegations that |the supermarket worker abused him as a child in a bid to recruit her killer.

Carr also agreed that Pennie’s threats to resurrect historic allegations against him couldn’t have come at a worse time in his life.

Under cross-examination from prosecutor Richard Smith QC, Carr agreed that due to his dad’s upcoming wedding and his own prospects of a new job working with children, the threats left him “seething”.

Carr insisted to jurors it was these issues he revealed to Robertson, before they came up with a plan to scare her.

He denied the prosecution’s claim that he told Robertson lies about Pennie abusing him as a child, in a bid to persuade him to agree to kill her.

Mr Smith asked Carr why, when Robertson allegedly confessed to killing Pennie to two different people, did he describe her as someone who was a paedophile.

Carr said Robertson made that up himself, adding: “To justify killing a woman because it’s not acceptable killing a woman between men, even laying a hand on a woman is not acceptable. It’s not acceptable in the outside world and it’s not acceptable in prison.”

Proceeding.