A WOMAN has described how the man accused of knowingly helping to bury Jayden Parkinson's body asked her to wash muddy clothes.

Jake Blakeley, of Venners Water, Didcot, is on trial at Oxford Crown Court and denies one count of preventing a lawful burial in December 2013.

The 18-year-old is accused of helping his older brother Ben Blakeley, of Christchurch Road, Reading, dig two graves that they both knew would be used to hide Jayden's body.

Last year Ben, 23, was found guilty of murdering his 17-year-old former girlfriend on December 3, 2013, after she told him she was pregnant with his child.

Prosecutor Matthew Walsh told jurors it was not disputed that the brothers dug two holes to bury Jayden's body, one in countryside south of Didcot and another in All Saint's Churchyard in Didcot.

But the barrister said Jake maintained he thought they were first burying weapons and then a dead cat and a dead dog.

Yesterday, Sarah Phasey told the jury that Jake was friends with her son Andrew and lived with her family in Abbott Road, Didcot, in 2013.

She said in about the second week of December he asked her to wash some of his brother's clothes.

Mr Walsh said: "And what did you think about being asked that?"

She replied: "I wasn't keen. Obviously I was doing my own washing and Jake's as well and I didn't like Ben at all.

"I didn't want to do it but I said I would just for Jake really. But once only."

Mr Walsh asked: "What condition was the clothing in?"

The witness said: "Very muddy."

Later defence barrister Martin Steen asked what she thought of Jake. She replied: "I liked him very much."

But added: "I hated Ben. He was violent, he was rude, he was threatening, he threatened my son, he threatened Jake, and he was very secretive.

"I didn't know anyone who wasn't frightened of Ben."

The trial continues.

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