THE tape-recorded confession made by Andrew Greenwood to the murder of law student Janet Murgatroyd was played to a hushed courtroom.

Greenwood made the admission while being interviewed by police shortly after asking a taxi driver to take him to the police as he had 'done something bad'.

It came three years after the battered body of Janet was found floating face down in the River Ribble at Preston on June 16, 1996 about 12 hours after she disappeared while walking home alone across Penwortham Bridge.

Greenwood, 23, of Sephton Street, Lostock Hall, Preston, is on trial for murder having later retracted his confession.

In the tape-recorded interview played to the Liverpool Crown Court jury yesterday (Wednesday), Greenwood told how he had stormed off after a night out with a friend saying to him, "I feel like killing myself or I am going to kill someone."

He said he was feeling depressed for a combination of reasons including his contact lenses hurting him, his mundane job and the result of the England versus Scotland game that day.

He said he was feeling lonely and wanted someone to talk to and set off toward Preston town centre intending to go to a nightclub. But when he was near the Bridge Inn, Leyland Road, by the river, he saw Janet, whom he did not know, who was obviously drunk.

He offered to walk her home or get her a taxi but she refused the offer. They chatted but she became edgy and said she had to get home but he wanted her to stay and talk.

She began running back the way she had come. "I started chasing her to calm her down. She was getting hysterical," he said.

Greenwood said he caught up with her and dragged her into some bushes and hit her in the face with his fist to try to calm her down and then she began to cry.

He said she was in shock and he continued hitting her, up to five times and she fell to the floor and he repeatedly kicked her in the head. "I had totally lost it."

The attack took place near the river bank and he dragged her to the water and threw her in. He said he later learnt she was not dead when he swung her and chucked her into the water.

"I should have stopped and got help," he said.

Greenwood, who said he had Janet's blood on his hands, got back to his flat in The Maltings, Penwortham, about 3.30am and felt like killing himself.

Earlier this week taxi driver Valli Ugradar told the court that in the early hours of August 2, 1999, he was in the Lostock Hall area when Greenwood asked him to take him to the police station.

Greenwood, who had a bandage around his wrist, was upset and when he asked him why he wanted to go to a police station Greenwood initially replied, "Never mind" but then said, "I've done something bad and you'll hear about it in the news tomorrow."

Mr Ugradar, 46, said that Greenwood, who was holding his head in his hands, repeated what he had said and added, "I am going to go in for a long time."

(Proceeding)