Former Mr Gay UK 'slit lover's throat then marinated his diced flesh with fresh herbs'

Daily Mail 7th October 2008

A gay chef murdered his lover, cut out part of his leg, seasoned it with herbs and fried it, a court has heard.

Anthony Morley, 35, chewed one of the pieces before throwing it into his kitchen bin.

Morley, a former holder of the Mr Gay UK title, then walked to a nearby takeaway restaurant and told horrified staff: 'I have killed someone, call the police'.

Former Mr Gay UK Anthony Morley (l) allegedly murdered Damian Oldfield before chewing part of his thigh

Officers found the naked body of 33-year-old Damian Oldfield on the floor of Morley's bedroom, Leeds Crown Court was told.

He had been stabbed 20 times and his throat cut.

Morley later claimed Mr Oldfield had tried to rape him.

Prosecutor Andrew Stubbs QC, warned jurors that details of the case were 'unpleasant and disturbing.'

He added: 'In carrying out your task in this trial you must not allow the horror of what took place to cloud your calm assessment of the evidence.'

He said the two men had known each other for some years.

Mr Oldfield was openly gay and worked selling advertising space for a homosexual lifestyle magazine.

He was described as ' flirtatious, promiscuous, naturally outgoing and bubbly'.

Morley was 'less sure about his sexuality' and had had relationships with both men and women.

He had won the first Mr Gay UK contest in 1993.

On the day of the murder, in April, the two exchanged text messages during the afternoon and later met in a bar in Leeds, where they both lived.

In the texts Morley told Mr Oldfield he had 'never been properly happy being gay'. Mr Oldfield replied: 'Try me...I'm not your average poof.'

They exchanged increasingly affectionate messages and arranged to meet, with Morley stressing he 'wanted to take it slow'.

Later that night they ended up in Morley's bedroom, the court heard. They had been drinking beer and were both around three times the legal limit for driving.

Forensic experts later found evidence that there had been sexual activity.

Mr Stubbs said Morley used two knives taken from the kitchen downstairs to kill Mr Oldfield.

He slit his throat, cutting a vein and an artery in the process, stabbed him with great force in the chest and 19 times in the back.

The evidence indicated that Mr Oldfield had been lying under the duvet when he was attacked from behind.

Mr Stubbs said that after Mr Oldfield died Morley cut a section of flesh from his thigh, took it down to the kitchen and cooked it.

The jury heard that Morley was wearing only a bloodstained dressing gown and flip-flops when he arrived at the takeaway. His face and hands were spattered with blood.

He later told police: 'I know what I have done is wrong, he tried to rape me, at least he won't be able to do it again.'

Morley denies murder. The court was told he was 'at the very least' guilty of manslaughter, but the jury would have to consider issues of provocation and diminished responsibility.

The case continues.