A TEENAGER has described in graphic detail how he saw his friend push a young woman into a river.

The youth told a murder trial that he wanted to help young mother Helen Maughan but he could not swim.

Chelmsford Crown Court has heard how the teenagers, aged 13 and 16 at the time, are blaming each other for the murder of the mother of two.

Her half-naked body was discovered in the River Colne in Colchester on May 20 last year not far from Quilters pub at Middleborough.

The older youth has told the jury he was asleep on a bench near the river when he awoke to see the 13-year-old dragging Miss Maughan towards the river.

But the younger youth told the jury he had nothing to do with it.

He said they were drinking with Miss Maughan on a bench when at one point, she said "you have never lost anyone."

The youth described what happened next: "The older youth walked over and said yes I have lost somebody' and pushed her. There was head contact between them.

"She fell on her back and he sat on top of her and punched her two times in the face. I walked over to them and grabbed him by the shoulders and told him to stop but he was not listening," the teenager said.

He told the court his friend sexually assaulted the woman with a bottle of wine they had bought earlier before he had sex with her.

He added: "Then he punched her in the face and I think he kicked her on the side of the head.

"He walked behind her and said we're going to get caught for this' and I said what do you mean we, it's you that's done this' and he said you're a good friend you are.' "Helen was unconscious. I could not hear her breathing. He grabbed her by the wrists and sort of turned around so he had his back to the river and started pulling," the youth said.

He told the court the older youth then let go of her and kicked her twice in the genital area.

"She fell down into the water.

"The second kick got her into the water," he said.

He added: "He sort of stood there looking in the water and I stood behind him thinking what should I do. There's nothing I can do, I can't swim."

:: The trial continues.


TWO teenagers deny murdering Helen Maughan between May 18 and May 20 last year.

The two, aged 14 and 17, cannot be named as the law does not allow defendants under the age of 18 to be identified.

The body of mother-of-two Miss Maughan, 24, of Propelair Way, Colchester, was discovered half-naked in the River Colne on Sunday, May 20, last year by a man walking by the river.