MURDER accused Carl Whant broke down in tears before his seventh police interview where detectives were quizzing him about the death of pregnant teenager Nikitta Grender, a court heard yesterday.

After six interviews in which he answered “no comment” to officers’ questions, his murder trial was told the 27-year-old from Newport got upset about the effect the case was having on his girlfriend and mother because “it was all over the headlines and people know.”

In the seventh interview, when police asked the visibly upset suspect if he was responsible for the death of the heavily pregnant 19-year-old, Whant said: “No.”

Carl Whant, 27, of no fixed abode, is on trial at Newport Crown Court accused of murdering Nikitta Grender, child destruction, rape and arson. He denies the charges.

Miss Grender, 19, who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant, was found dead in the Broadmead Park flat she shared with boyfriend, Ryan Mayes, on February 5 last year.

Whant, Mr Mayes’ second cousin, was arrested on February 9 on suspicion of Miss Grender’s murder.

Yesterday, transcripts of Whant’s police interviews, which took place between February 9 and 12, were read to the jury.

During the first seven interviews, Whant was asked if he was responsible for Miss Grender’s death, what knowledge he had of her death, what part if any he played in her death and if he was responsible for harming Miss Grender in any way - he answered: “No comment.”

DC John Crandon asked Whant about his movements on the night of February 4 running into the early hours of February 5 and who he was with and Whant continued not to comment.

It was only in the seventh interview when, the court heard, Whant appeared “upset” and had been crying that he started answering questions.

Jury members heard Whant was upset at not being able to speak to his girlfriend and was worried about his parents and girlfriend because “it was all over the headlines and people know.”

When he was asked if he was responsible for Miss Grender’s death, Whant said he wasn’t. He told officers his relationship with Mr Mayes, who looked up to him, was ‘excellent’ and he had a friendly relationship with Miss Grender, who he called ‘Kitta’.

Whant told police he had not been alone with Miss Grender apart from on one occasion around three years ago and said on February 4 he only said hello and goodbye to her before he and Mr Mayes went out for the evening.

He said they went to Mr Mayes’ mother’s house to watch the rugby, where he phoned someone to order some cocaine, before going to meet friends in The Star, in Duckpool Road. Jury members heard he and other members of the group took cocaine and mephedrone in his car before going into the city centre.

Proceeding.