A close friend of Michael Humphries - who is accused of murdering academic Barbara Johnston - spent the evening drinking with him hours after he is alleged to have killed her.

John Clewer-Wolk, a prison officer who lived in Gloucester Street, Faringdon, at the time of the incident, told a jury at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday that Humphries - a friend for 17 years - had called at his house at about 2.15pm on Tuesday, January 24.

The prosecution alleges that Humphries killed the 55-year-old medical researcher that morning. He denies the murder. In a phone call before his arrival, Mr Clewer-Wolk said Humphries, who was out of work at the time, told him he was in 'Hungerford or somewhere like that' and wanted to put some miles on the vehicle - a hired three-door Peugeot 206 van.

When he arrived at Mr Clewer-Wolk's house, the pair went out to the vehicle to remove cat hairs from the upholstery before Humphries returned it. Mr Clewer-Wolk asked him if a tied bin bag in the boot was to go in the bin, but was told it contained overalls covered in silicon from a previous glazing job.

They then drove to a cafe in Shrivenham for food and returned to Faringdon afterwards.

Mr Clewer-Wolk visited his friend that evening at Humphries's brother's house in Ferndale Street and they drank lager and tequila until the early hours of the next morning. He next saw Humphries at 7pm on Wednesday, January 25, when he went to collect his car, which he had left outside Humphries's house the previous night.

Mr Clewer-Wolk spoke to him on the phone on Friday, January 27, and said he would probably visit him. Humphries said two people were watching his house. Mr Clewer-Wolk said his friend had some trouble with the police after an incident in the States, where he had lived for a number of years, and added: "I said if the police were watching the house and I came round I'd have to say he was there and he said, don't come round."

The court also heard from Helena Paivikki-Simons, a neighbour of Dr Johnston, who lived at Woodstock Close, North Oxford. She said she had been working from home on January 24 and went out between 11am and 1pm to collect her car from over the road.

She recalled seeing a silver car coming out of Woodstock Close, as she had to slow down to let it pass her.

The trial continues.