Sex-with-corpse man "did not know victim was dead"

By Andrew Hough

LONDON (Reuters) - A chef accused of murdering young model Sally Anne Bowman did not know his victim was dead until after he stopped having sex with her corpse despite finding her in a pool of blood, a court heard on Monday.

Mark Dixie, 37, was branded "disgusting" by his own defence barrister for letting "his lust to get the better of him", the Old Bailey was told.

Dixie denies killing Bowman but admits he took "advantage of the situation" after discovering the 18-year-old's dead body in the street in Croydon, south of London, the jury have heard.

Bowman was stabbed at about 4 a.m. in Blenheim Crescent, Croydon in September 2005, shortly after being dropped off close to her home by her boyfriend, prosecutors said.

Dixie says he stumbled on the blonde's naked body by chance as he staggered home drunk after celebrating his birthday that same night. Prosecutors have said sex acts were performed as Bowman lay dying or was dead in a pool of blood, including sexual intercourse.

Bowman, who was working as a hairdresser and part-time model at the time of her death, was discovered about two hours later by a neighbour who saw her legs sticking out.

Before Dixie took the stand in his defence on Monday his barrister, Anthony Glass, addressed the jury in a bid to explain his client's "disgusting conduct".

"It is, you may think, a very unattractive defence," he told the jury. "He did not know she was dead until intercourse was concluded. Even though you may think his conduct is disgusting, he allowed his lust to get the better of him."