Last updated at 19:01 22 April 2008

Post-mortem tests showed that Helen Maughan died from a combination of head injuries and drowning

Two drunken teenagers raped and murdered a mother-of-two before finally dumping her body in a river, a court heard.

Helen Maughan, 24, was found floating half naked in a river two days after the brutal murder, the jury was told.

The teenagers aged 13 and 16, who cannot be named for legal reasons, bragged to friends about the killing, it is claimed.

When arrested the defendants, now 14 and 17 years old, then blamed each other for beating up the 5ft 1ins mum and throwing her into the River Colne in Colchester, Essex, on May 18 last year.

The pair were interviewed by police after being recognised by friends from CCTV shots taken from the night of the murder.

When detectives questioned the younger boy, he claimed his pal had threatened to kill him if he did not keep quiet, the jury heard.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how the day began with the boys guzzling wine and Stella lager with friends before a chance meeting with drunken Miss Maughan, who asked to share their alcohol.

The 13-year-old told police the three of them sat on a bench next to the river and claimed Miss Maughan tried to kiss him before asking him for sex.

He said he refused but the older boy became jealous and began rowing with the victim.

Sasha Wass QC, prosecuting, said: "The (younger) boy told police the older boy pushed her and she fell over.

"She then tried to head-butt the older boy but only just made contact and did not manage to injure him.

"According to the younger boy she was screaming.

"He told police the older defendant punched her about 20 times then elbowed her and stamped on her face.

"She was bleeding from the mouth and nose. He remembers the older boy having blood on his trainers.

"He also remembers the older boy punching her in the throat."

The younger boy described how his older peer began sexually assaulting the victim, Miss Wass said.

The 13-year-old told police the older boy dragged her lifeless body two metres to the edge of the water, asking the younger boy to help but he claimed he refused.

When the older boy was arrested on the same day, July 31st last year he claimed that the 13-year-old kissed Miss Maughan.

He added that was the last thing he saw after rolling a joint and passing out on the bench for up to 45 minutes.

The older boy told police when he woke he saw his friend dragging the unconscious woman towards the river by her ankles, it is claimed.

However, the court heard how both boys had boasted to friends about the killing before they were arrested.

Miss Wass said: "The older boy told a friend he had assaulted a girl badly and wasn't sure if she was still breathing so put her in the river."

She added: "It was not only the older boy bragging about what happened. The younger boy did also. In July he threatened a young girl out fishing with friends saying 'You're a slag, you are going to be the second body in the river like Helen Maughan'."

Miss Maughan's body was discovered naked from the waist down, except for a sock, two days after she was killed by a man walking along a riverside footpath on Sunday, May 20.

The court heard that troubled Ms Maughan was in a relationship with Simon Elam. They had a son Aaron who had been taken into care along with another child from a previous relationship.

She had taken drugs in the past and had turned to drink since losing her children, the jury of six men and six women heard.

On the night of May 18 2007, she had left her boyfriend fitting a carpet at home and began drinking at pubs near the river at 2.45pm.

Ms Maughan, who was just 5ft 1ins tall, was thrown out of three pubs and had spoken to her boyfriend for the final time at 10.30pm.

Meanwhile, the court heard how the two defendants persuaded a passer-by to buy them booze at a local one-stop shop.

At about 11.20pm, Ms Maughan was captured on CCTV talking to two boys after spotting them with alcohol close to the Marquise of Grandy pub.

Forensic tests on Miss Maughan's body found she had 22 injuries to her face and genitals but she was still alive when she hit the water and died of drowning.

Toxicology tests revealed she was more than three the drink drive limit and had been taking anti-depressants but this had not caused her death.

Miss Wass told the jury: "The Crown say the boys acted together when they killed Helen Maughan, maybe one was the leader and one was the follower, but you will have to decide if they did it together."

Pathologist Dr David Rouse said there were no drag marks on the body and the prosecution claimed her body would have been carried.

Both boys deny murder. The case continues.