A former book keeper accused of raping and murdering a doctor's daughter slept beside her dead body after throttling her to death during 'loving sex', a court has heard.

Edward Tenniswood claims India Chipchase instructed him to put his hands around her neck in a moment of 'organic' sex at his rented home in Northampton.

The 52-year-old claims he then 'blacked out' with fatigue and 'cuddled up' to Ms Chipchase, allegedly believing she was asleep. He told the court he then went to buy a kebab as she lay dead on a mattress.

It was not until he woke up a few hours later that he noticed she wasn't breathing and feared she was dead, he claims.

Edward Tenniswood (left) claims India Chipchase (right) instructed him to put his hands around her neck in a moment of 'organic' sex at his rented home in Northampton

Giving evidence for the first time during his murder trial, Tenniswood told the jury that the moment she choked to death was the moment he believed Ms Chipchase had climaxed

Giving evidence for the first time during his murder trial, Tenniswood told the jury that the moment she choked to death was the moment he believed Ms Chipchase had climaxed.

He told Birmingham Crown Court Ms Chipchase had moved his hands to her neck before giving an 'exhaling gasp' during what he described as 'vigorous love-making'.

The book keeper is accused of coaxing 20-year-old Ms Chipchase back to his squalid house in January, before raping her and throttling her to death. He denies the charges.

He told the court: 'I was so fatigued, I effectively blacked out. I rolled over and embraced her. I cuddled up to her and just went to sleep.

'When we woke up - sorry, when I woke up - it was early evening. I just assumed she was in a deep sleep. I just assumed she was out of it.

'I lit a cigarette, as I naturally do. Again, to my shame, the first thing I did was to pour myself a drink of wine.'

Tenniswood then told the court how he spent some time trying to wake up Ms Chipchase.

He told the jury: 'I said "India, darling?" I just went over and looked at her. It just didn't seem right.I just sort of nudged her shoulder.'

Despite his alleged concerns, he then got dressed and went through Ms Chipchase's handbag, claiming he was looking for some sign of a pre-existing medical condition which might have put her in a 'diabetic coma'.

He also told jurors he feared she may have had a 'stroke or brain injury' from a drunken fall.

Tenniswood told how he downed another drink of wine and 'panic set in'.

Continuing his account, he said he ruled out bothering to take her pulse, explaining: 'I decided not to do that on the grounds I'd never taken one before.

He added: 'I thought, "what is that going to do?" Is that going to upset me even more or answer any questions? I ruled out feeling the pulse, and returned to have another swig of wine.'

He said that the former private school pupil (left and right) initiated the sex after they shared 'an incredibly moving' moment in which they embraced in an upstairs mirror and studied their entwined reflection

Tenniswood then explained how he put Ms Chipchase's clutch handbag and boots 'neatly' together in another room, and decided to leave the house with the young woman still inside.

He added: 'I was completely convinced she was still alive, and in some form of coma.' He continued: 'I made some decisions; to get some air, get food, and calm down.'

However, before leaving, Tenniswood went to bedroom and re-clothed Ms Chipchase to be 'respectful'.

He changed the mattress bedding, which had a blood-stain from a wound on Ms Chipchase's head, turned a light on and turned up the volume on the bedroom radio.

Tenniswood said: 'I was absolutely convinced she would gain consciousness while I was out.'

Earlier, Tenniswood described how the pair allegedly became intimate after she tumbled on the sofa, injuring herself and scratching him.

He told the court: 'I sort of gushed, "Are you ok?" She thought that it was her fault, which it wasn't. We were gushing with mutual apology. I was saying I'm sorry, she was saying she was sorry.

'She said "I'm definitely more sorry" and that's when things took an unexpected turn, because she planted a kiss on my lips.'

The book keeper is accused of coaxing 20-year-old Ms Chipchase back to his squalid house in January, before raping her and throttling her to death. He denies the charges

He claimed he was 'taken aback'.

'Any sort of first kiss I personally would never give a French kiss,' he said. 'I reciprocated I suppose, if that's the term.'

Tenniswood then said he promised India a 'grand tour' of his house, and took her upstairs.

He said they then shared 'an incredibly moving' moment in which they embraced in a mirror and studied their entwined reflection.

Fighting back tears, he said: 'She just makes this incredibly moving comment, which at the time affected me quite a lot as well. It was a very sweet, very India thing to do.

'Our reflection was in the mirror, so the two of us were smiling in the mirror and she said 'look at that', and she said 'it looks like were in the middle of an oil painting.'

'She had her arm around me and squeezed, it was sort of like I suppose we were posing for a selfie. I just thought it was so incredibly sweet.'

Answering questions from junior defence barrister Derek Joliashen, Tenniswood said: 'I went to get a kebab, get something to eat.

'What had been a glorious evening suddenly turned into this awful situation.

'It was just utter panic, just confusion and I was groping for some small answer for what it could be [what had happened to India].

'I was over anxious, I just thought maybe a drink would help, so I went to the hotel.'

When police officers broke down Tenniswood's door on Sunday January 31, they found Ms Chipchase dead.

They arrested Tenniswood hours later at a nearby hotel.

Asked why he said on arrest 'I’m surprised you were so quick' and 'I suppose you found what you were looking for' Tenniswood told the jury it was because he was an 'optimist', and did not believe that Ms Chipchase was dead.

He said: 'I thought they had then gone to my house and she wasn’t there and hoped I would he would say "Do you know where India Chipchase is?"

'I hoped she had somehow got out and got home or been rescued or something.'

When cross-examined by prosecutor Chris Donnellan QC, Tenniswood again said he thought Ms Chipchase had orgasmed and didn't think she was dead.

Referring to when Mr Tenniswood went for a kebab before going to the hotel, Mr

Donnellan said: 'All that time there is a girl lying on a mattress, potentially needing urgent medical attention. You didn’t feel guilty about that?'

Tenniswood said: 'Clearly it was just this optimism of mine, I just thought she wasn’t dead.'

During the opening of the trial last week, the jury was told how Miss Chipchase had been out with friends the night she died.

The court heard she had been in a 'pickled state' when Tenniswood approached her outside NB's bar in Northampton town centre.

The jury has already seen CCTV showing Ms Chipchase outside the club at about 1am, leaning against the entryway, and appearing to check her phone.

She is then approached by a man - whom the prosecution allege is Tenniswood - who begins talking to her.

The Crown's QC Christopher Donnellan said: 'He was overheard by others to say, 'not to worry', and he'd get her home safe - he didn't.'

It is then alleged that Tenniswood 'led, steered or escorted' Ms Chipchase to a taxi, which took them to his home.

There, he is accused of raping Miss Chipchase before strangling her to death. Prosecutor Christopher Donnellan said Miss Chipchase 'appears to have put up a struggle' because Tenniswood's blood was found under one of her fingernails.

When he was arrested, he was found with a scratch to his neck and marks on his arms and legs.

Mr Donnellan also told the court that Miss Chipchase's body was found 'laid out' on a mattress, covered up by a duvet.

Tenniswood had allegedly 'set about tidying up' to cover his tracks, the court was told.

At the time of her death, Ms Chipchase was dating New Zealander and professional rugby player Evaan Reihana.

Evaan is the son of former All Black Bruce Reihana, who later joined Northampton Saints in 2002.

Ms Chipchase had been studying a diploma in health and social care, and lived with her mother, Suzanne, in upmarket Wootton, Northampton.

Her father, Jeremy, has lived in Adelaide for 10 years where he works as a senior obstetrician and gynaecologist at Lyell McEwin Hospital.

Miss Chipchase had been a pupil at Pitsford School, the county's leading small independent school which is situated near Pitsford Reservoir, outside Northampton.

Tenniswood denies the charges but the prosecution has already told the jury he is expected to claim Ms Chipchase consented to sex and that her death was 'an accident'.