Mark Brown: Murder-accused strung victim along, court hears

A man accused of murder told a court he strung along his alleged victim by changing his mind over whether he would leave his partner to be with her.

Mark Brown, 41, from St Leonards, East Sussex, denies murdering Alexandra Morgan, 34, in November 2021 and Leah Ware, 33, in May of that year.

Mr Brown said he told Ms Ware he would not leave his long-term partner until his eldest child turned 16.

This changed when Ms Ware became pregnant, Hove Crown Court heard.

Ms Ware had a termination in February 2020, and again in November 2020.

Mr Brown was asked by the prosecution about his "rollercoaster" relationship with Ms Ware, whom he first met as a client through an escort site in 2018.

He admitted to "stringing Ms Ware along", and that this led to arguments in which Mr Brown said he "would blow up at her."

Mr Brown also said he was "hurting Leah emotionally" and that they were "fighting all the time" over Ms Ware's alleged drug use and his refusal to leave his partner, Lisa Clark.

"I only told Leah I would leave Lisa when Leah was pregnant. I never planned on leaving Lisa until my oldest child was 16 and Leah knew that," he said.

"It changed slightly when Leah was pregnant, then I told her I was going to leave."

The court was told Ms Ware lived at Little Bridge Farm, first in a static caravan and then in a converted shipping container inside a barn on the site, until the prosecution say she was killed on 7 May 2021.

Ms Ware's remains have never been found. Mr Brown maintains that he does not know where she is, but that she is still alive.

The trial continues.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].