Man accused of murdering partner tells court she liked rough sex and being strangled - live updates

A man accused of strangling his partner to death after they had been on a night out to the bingo has told a court she liked 'rough sex, strangulation, whips and being tied up'. Alcwyn Thomas denies murder, claiming he had accidentally killed his partner while they were having consensual sex.

The first day of a trial at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard the defendant, 44, and partner Victoria "Vicki" Thomas, 45, had gone out to the Club 3000 bingo in Gabalfa, Cardiff on August 19 last year when the defendant was described as "argumentative and moody" having been drinking heavily and taking cocaine. CCTV footage showed the couple appearing to argue while waiting for a taxi after leaving the venue shortly after 9pm.

See our coverage of the start of the prosecution case here: Man strangled partner to death at house in Cardiff after night out

After they returned home to Caerphilly Road, Cardiff, on August 20, Thomas had gone to their shared bedroom while Ms Thomas went to the lounge to watch a film. In the early hours of the following morning she was found dead by police wearing her dressing gown after Alcwyn Thomas' niece had gone to the house to check on her. A post-mortem examination found Ms Thomas had been strangled to death having sustained pressure to her neck.

Giving evidence at his trial at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, Thomas said he and Ms Thomas began a relationship after meeting at a pub in 2019. When asked about their sexual relationship, the defendant said: "Vicki liked extra things to be honest and was more demanding.... Rough sex, strangulation, whips, tied up."

Thomas said the deceased had introduced "strangling" into their sexual relationship, and he would "choke" her with his hands around her neck. He