The former boyfriend of a woman who allegedly lured his replacement into a fatal ambush in Harwich told a murder jury today he was not jealous or besotted with his ex.

Scott Swift, 27, of Station Road, Dovercourt, denied at Chelmsford Crown Court today he was “controlling and jealous” about Rebecca Ryan, his ex, or that he remained “besotted”.

He also expressed surprise that a co-accused had last week admitted manslaughter of the man who was killed.

Swift, who denies murdering Michael Beckwith, 44, also rejected a suggestion he had set up Ryan’s mobile phone so he could track her movements.

Mr Beckwith, a care worker at Connolly’s Care Home, Weeley, was attacked in a remote spot off Barrack Lane, Harwich, on July 31 last year. He died two days later hospital from his injuries.

Swift, Ryan, now 22, of Hilltop Rise, Weeley, and Joseph Smith, now 18, of Canning Street, Harwich, all deny murder. On Friday, Smith admitted the manslaughter of Mr Beckwith, but the prosecution has not accepted that plea and is continuing with the murder charge.

Triston Biddlecombe, 24, and his wife Enderlein Biddlecombe, 20, both of East Street, Harwich, deny assisting an offender by washing and burning clothing, and also deny perverting the course of justice by providing police with a false alibi for Swift.

Ryan is further charged with perverting justice by falsely claiming she had also been a victim in the attack on Mr Beckwith.

The prosecution alleges Ryan, who was engaged briefly to Mr Beckwith until he ended the relationship, lured him to the remote spot where Swift and Smith were allegedly waiting to attack him.

At the start of his evidence, Swift told his barrister Dorian Lovett-Pank QC he was “very surprised” his friend Joe Smith had now said he “effectively killed” Mr Beckwith.

The court has heard Mr Beckwith told police before he died one of his assailants was about 5ft 5ins and slim, and the other was shorter and slim.

Swift, a carer working for Westminster Home Care visiting the elderly in their own homes, told the jury he was just under 6ft tall and last summer weighed 23 stone. Smith is 5ft 2ins tall and slight.

Asked if he did anything to cause Mr Beckwith’s death, Swift replied “No.”

Swift said he was still going out with Ryan when he saw her kissing a man in a car in March, who he then found out was Mr Beckwith.

He and Ryan split up at the end of March, he claimed, but he said they remained friends and in contact.

Swift agreed he sent Mr Beckwith a Facebook message telling him he was “getting too close” to Ryan but said that was to stop him spreading rumours about her at Connolly House, where they both worked.

He said that at about 10pm on July 31 he rang Ryan. She was upset and distressed, saying a friend had been attacked.

Swift said he went to the spot and found Mr Beckwith “groaning“ and tried to give him water.

Cross-examined by Simon Spence QC, for Ryan, Swift denied that throughout their relationship he was controlling and jealous, though he accepted that he wanted her back.

The trial continues.