A BOYFRIEND bludgeoned his lover to death with a plastic tray while in a drunken rage during lockdown, a court heard.

Wayne Patrick Morris, 47, is accused of murdering Ruth Brown, 52, after moving in to live with her during the first coronavirus lockdown.

He had been drinking whisky and smoking cannabis and had a row with Ms Brown at the house in Collyer Avenue, Bognor.

Brighton Crown Court heard that Morris claimed to have no memory of attacking her in April last year.

He came downstairs in the morning to find her bloody body lying on the kitchen floor before moving her to the bedroom.

Morris cleaned up the scene, mopping the floor, before going to “drown his sorrows”, buying cider and ordering a takeaway.

He then sent text messages saying goodbye to his daughter and sent a message to Ms Brown's daughter Lauren.

Police at the scene in Collyer Avenue, Bognor, where the body of Ruth Brown was found. Wayne Morris is accused of her murder

Police at the scene in Collyer Avenue, Bognor, where the body of Ruth Brown was found. Wayne Morris is accused of her murder

It read: “I didn’t mean to do anything, I’m leaving Bognor, I’m turning my phone off.”

Morris also sent a message to his brother Peter Brown, it read: “I’m in Wales by the beach, please be there for Skye, she’ll need you more than you’ll ever know as I’ve killed Ruth.”

Philip Bennetts QC, prosecuting, said: “It is the prosecution case that Wayne Morris killed Ruth Brown, his partner, in April of 2020.

“Due to the public health measures arising out of the pandemic, Wayne Morris moved into Ruth’s Collyer Road address at the start of April 2020.

Police at the scene in Collyer Avenue, Bognor, where the body of Ruth Brown was found. Wayne Morris is accused of her murder

Police at the scene in Collyer Avenue, Bognor, where the body of Ruth Brown was found. Wayne Morris is accused of her murder

“The defendant gives an account of having no recollection of killing Ruth Brown. He gives an account of consuming a significant quantity of alcohol.”

Mr Bennetts said restaurant and bar worker Ms Brown had been in a relationship with Morris for several years.

He said there is no dispute that Morris, of Larch Close, Bognor, inflicted injuries on her.

The prosecutor said that drunk intent is still intent, and said Morris intended to cause Ruth really serious injury.

Police at the scene in Collyer Avenue, Bognor, where the body of Ruth Brown was found. Wayne Morris is accused of her murder

Police at the scene in Collyer Avenue, Bognor, where the body of Ruth Brown was found. Wayne Morris is accused of her murder

He read out a statement from Ms Brown's daughter Lauren, who described how her mother worked in restaurants and bars.

She was a “petite” woman, 5ft tall, who also had issues with back pain after falling into a cellar when she was young, and was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung condition.

Lauren had gone to her mother’s home after receiving a text message from Morris. Her boyfriend Sam Hunter found Ms Brown's body lying on the bed.

Police at the scene in Collyer Avenue, Bognor, where the body of Ruth Brown was found. Wayne Morris is accused of her murder

Police at the scene in Collyer Avenue, Bognor, where the body of Ruth Brown was found. Wayne Morris is accused of her murder

She said: “I remember Sam being on the phone with the police saying he had found someone deceased.

“I ran out of the house screaming.”

The court was told that after fleeing from Bognor, Morris got the hovercraft to the Isle of Wight, where he was arrested at a campsite on April 12.

Morris denies murder, the trial at Brighton Crown Court is expected to last two weeks.