Vital evidence in the trial of a man accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend's mother could have been eaten by his dog, a court heard.

Jobless George Maben, 45, of Rosehill, Morden, told the Old Bailey his dog was “in a habit of eating things” after he was asked about the whereabouts of a pair of gloves allegedly used to murder Maureen Cosgrove.

Mrs Cosgrove, a 65-year-old widow died from asphyxia at her four-bedroom home in South Way, Carshalton Beeches, on March 24 last year after a ligature was applied to her neck.

Mr Maben denies her murder.

Prosecuting barrister Anthony Glass told the court scientific evidence showed blue acrylic fibres found on Mrs Cosgrove's neck could be from a black pair of gloves - similar to the gloves Mr Maben was wearing the day the grandmother was killed.

Mr Glass told he court: “You were wearing them, I suggest, because you planned in your mind when you left your house that morning, to commit the murder of Maureen Cosgrove. That's why you don't want us to see the gloves.

“The gloves could have been quite an important part for your defence case.”

In court Mr Maben invited police officers to his home, where he lived with his mother, to search for the missing gloves.

Giving evidence Mr Maben, told jurors he had a good relationship with his partner Lucy Rees' mother and only fell out with her when he dirtied her carpet with his muddy boots.

The court previously heard detectives bugged Mrs Rees' car and Mr Maben was caught on tape praying to be forgiven and saying “every day she was breaking me down”.

Mr Maben told the Old Bailey: “I wanted God to forgive me for stealing money from mother – it made me feel worthless.

“Mum was breaking me down – she was unhappy about the dog being at her house. The dog wasn't house trained.”

In an earlier hearing jurors heard Mr Maben told police he had been nowhere near the house before the body was discovered but CCTV footage showed him donning a pair of gloves as he took a bus to Mrs Cosgrove's and Mrs Rees' home.

Mr Maben told the court he went to Carshalton Beeches because he was jealous.

He said: “The jealousy came on and I thought she was with someone else.

“I thought she would find someone else. I didn't want to let her out of my sight. I would check up on her a lot.”

Mr Maben said he walked past the house before walking into Sutton where he met Mrs Rees for a drink.

Later that day the pair returned to South Way where they discovered Mrs Cosgrove's body, he told the ocurt.

Mr Maben said: “The colour drained from me, I was shocked.”

He told the court how he listened to Mrs Cosgrove's heart and tried to put her in the recovery position before telling Lucy to call an ambulance.

The trial continues.