A man and a woman accused of murdering their neighbour played a record by Elvis to comfort him as he bled to death, a court has heard.

Mark Postles and Margaret Heeley are on trial for killing John Cogan in Postles' home in Flamborough Road, Thurnby Lodge, Leicester, before unsuccessfully trying to dismember his body.

The trial at Nottingham Crown Court heard yesterday that the defendants had beaten 49-year-old Mr Cogan unconscious before Postles held a knife to his throat.

The jury heard Heeley (55), who had alleged she had been raped by Mr Cogan, pushed down on the blade, causing the fatal injury.

Psychiatrist Jonathan Mumford, giving evidence in defence of Postles, said the 47-year-old had long-standing alcoholism and had been drinking heavily before Mr Cogan's death.

Dr Mumford said this had diminished his responsibility for the crime, which happened on either March 10 or 11 last year.

He referred to the playing of the Elvis Presley track as an example that Postles was not rational at the time.

The court heard Postles gave evidence of what he did after Mr Cogan was injured.

Postles said: "I said, 'Maggie (Heeley), put his favourite song on for him. Elvis'.

"She did and he died."

Dr Mumford said: "His judgement was to put a record on. He could have called an ambulance. It's evidence of his judgement being impaired to ask for a record to be put on."

He said Postles had told him he had drunk a bottle of whisky on the day of the attack.

Dr Mumford said: "It would have affected his judgement.

"The example of holding a knife near the throat is an example of his judgement being impaired.

"Due to his intoxication at the time, he would not have fully been able to recognise the dangers of his actions."

Dr Mumford told the court Postles had been a heavy drinker since the end of a short spell as a soldier in his mid 20s, and was heavily dependent on alcohol.

Yvonne Coen, prosecuting, said there was nothing in Postles' behaviour on the night of Mr Cogan's death to indicate he was out of control. She pointed out that he had admitted to washing the blood-stained knife.

Prosecution forensic psychiatrist Steffan Davies told the court he interviewed Postles in January this year, to assess his mental state.

Dr Davies said: "He told me he wished to give a different account to that in his statement to the police.

"He told me he wanted to 'go Queen's Evidence'."

The court heard this meant putting the blame for the death on Heeley.

Dr Davies told the court Postles had been shocked to find Mr Cogan's body in his back garden on March 13, and had advised Heeley, also of Flamborough Road, to call police but did not do it himself.

Dr Davies said: "He was adamant the first he knew of the body was when he found it by chance on March 13."

Postles had earlier given evidence to say he was involved in the attack on Mr Cogan but it was Heeley who killed him.

Both defendants deny murder.

The trial continues.