Huntley: 'I asked Maxine if I was to blame'

Soham murder accused Ian Huntley has been facing cross-examination at his trial in London' Old Bailey today.

Michael Hubbard QC, for Maxine Carr, continued his cross-examination.

He said: “Yesterday you told the jury ’I asked Maxine if she thought I was responsible, she told me not to be daft’.”

Huntley replied: “Yes”

Mr Hubbard said: “I suggest you asked Maxine whether she thought you could have done more on the story you gave her.”

Huntley said: “I don’t know what you mean.”

Mr Hubbard said: “Mr Huntley, after you told Maxine that the girls had come into the house and then had walked away, you asked her, I suggest, whether she thought you could have done more.”

Huntley replied: “No, I didn’t. I asked her if she thought I had done it.”

Mr Hubbard then moved to the Monday morning after the girls disappeared.

He said that at around 4am Police Sergeant Pauline Nelson, who has given evidence, asked him where his partner was.

Huntley said: “She didn’t ask that question. I wasn’t even with her at 4am.”

Mr Hubbard asked when Huntley had spoken to another caretaker, Ruth Oddie, about the possibility of getting Carr to give him an alibi.

Huntley said it was 10.30am or 11am on the Monday morning.

Mr Hubbard said: “Did you actually say ’I want to get Maxine home’ so she could give you an alibi.”

Huntley said: “No, I didn’t say that, I just spoke to her about the possibility of getting Maxine to give me an alibi.”

Mr Hubbard asked Huntley what he could recall of his conversation with Ms Oddie but the defendant said he could not remember and could only summarise what the conversation was about.

The barrister asked if Ms Oddie visited the house later that Monday which Huntley agreed, saying it was around tea time.

Mr Hubbard suggested that Huntley was cleaning the carpets at the time.

Huntley said: “Yes, I was hoovering.”

Asked where he was vacuuming, he said: “The living room, hallway and stairway.”

The case then adjourned briefly to allow technicians to attend to problems with the sound in the courtroom.