A MAN accused of murder told his girlfriend to dump evidence that could link him to the killing, a court heard.

Tyrell Thompson took to the witness box to give evidence in the ongoing murder trial at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

The 24-year-old of Kingston Road, London, is charged with murdering Lee Chapman, 26, in Cromer Road, Southend on March 6 this year.

Mr Chapman died in hospital on March 7 after suffering stab wounds

Thompson, along with Sarah Wahid, 45, of High Road, Grays, and a 17 and 16-year-old boy from Southend all deny his murder.

Thompson is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to two phone calls made to his girlfriend from prison.

The prosecution say he instructed her to ditch a phone and tracksuit.

The two phone calls in question, made from a phone given to Thompson in prison, were played to the jury.

Thompson was told before getting the phone that calls would be recorded.

Towards the end of the first call, Thompson told his girlfriend: “It’s just about this flipping phone, apparently it ends in 228, and a f***ing blue Puma tracksuit. If they do not find that they can’t connect me. Do you feel me?”

Thompson’s girlfriend responded “mm hmm” and Thompson then moved on to asking her to send him some clothes to wear in prison.

He then added “Did you hear everything I said?” to which she responded “mm hmm”. He said: “So you know what to do right?” to which she responded in the same way.

In the second call, Thompson said: “Are we in synch in regards to the last phone call?”

The woman replied “yeah, it’s finished” to which he responded “good girl”.

Prosecuting, Jane Bickerstaff QC asked why Thompson had told her that.

Thompson responded: “There’s not really an excuse, I just told her I lost it a while ago.”

Ms Bickerstaff said: “I am going to suggest that the answers you’re giving do not make sense, that you’re making up more lies, aren’t you?”

Thompson responded: “Why would I tell lies?”

Ms Bickerstaff said: “You were describing the tracksuit specifically, that you wanted her to get rid of it.”

Thompson denied this.

Ms Bickerstaff said that if Thompson was telling the truth that he didn’t have the tracksuit or phone, it would have been the end of the conversation.

Thompson replied; “It would eventually come back up, I am on remand for murder and my pregnant girlfriend wants me to come home.”

The trial continues.