An alleged killer confessed to his pet cats - unaware police were eavesdropping on his conversation.

David Henton was suspected of battering his partner, Joyce Sutton, to death as she lay sleeping. But police could not prove it, so they bugged his house, a court was told.

He was recorded talking to his pets and apparently let the cat out of the bag.

In one recording, the 72-year-old shouts: 'Bloody woman,' before adding: 'I had to do something about it. I hit my Joyce,' the prosecution claims.

At home next day, Henton was recorded talking 'perhaps to his cats', Paul Lewis QC told the jury, which has not heard the tapes.

Henton, from Neath, near Swansea, had known Ms Sutton for 30 years and saw her every day.

The couple lived in different houses but Henton brought her breakfast in bed every morning. In January 2006, 65-year-old Ms Sutton was found dead.

Henton allegedly smashed the back door window to make it look like she died during a break-in.

But Ms Sutton's blood was on the glass, despite her supposedly being killed after it was broken. Matching glass was found in Henton's car.

Henton went from being a key witness to prime suspect in the year that followed Ms Sutton's murder.

He denies murder and the trial at Swansea Crown Court continues.